Inaugural "Flavours from Brasil" exhibition kicks off today

One of the key highlights of Flavours from Brasil is a dedicated business-to-business segment, which expects to facilitate over 700 different business meetings involving a group of 40 top Brazilian companies that are currently exploring various new investment opportunities in the UAE and the Middle East region.

The consumer-focused event features the full range of Brazil's high-quality food exports, including coffee, poultry, sugar cane derivatives, fruit juices, and organics. Brazil is a global leader in food production and exports, currently one of the top three fruit producers, and the world's leading coffee producer and exporter.

The country is also the fourth biggest chocolate maker, the second largest cookie producer, and a supplier of around 40% of all poultry consumed worldwide. During the "Flavours from Brasil" exhibition, around 40 major exporting companies are displaying their products during the special business roundtable.

Juarez Leal, Project Manager, Flavours from Brasil, said:

"Brazil is home to the highest biodiversity in the world, supported by an optimal year-round climate, highly fertile land, and the world's largest watershed basin. The country has developed advanced food processing techniques and technologies to capitalise on these advantages and achieve world-class harvests. Flavours from Brasil will enable Arab consumers and businesses to explore Brazil's diverse food offerings and learn about their economic and health benefits as well as their compatibility with Islamic food standards."

Commenting on the influence of Arabs on Brazil, Leal added, "Brazil and the Arab community share a long history; the Arabs were among the early traders who travelled across the Brazilian territory, leaving behind deep imprints on our culture, gastronomy and even our economy. This long-standing relationship has also contributed to boosting trade relations between Brazil and the Arab countries. From 2001 to 2008, commercial activity between Brazil and the group of Arab countries that comprise among others Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Bahrain, Qatar, Egypt, UAE, Yemen, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Syria, Sudan and Tunisia, witnessed a fourfold increase, growing from $4.5bn to $20.2bn."

Apex-Brasil, the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency, which conceptualised the exhibition, had organised a special dinner gathering yesterday for 200 guests, who had sampled dishes prepared by renowned Brazilian chef Morena Leite. The diners were given a book about Arab contributions to Brazilian cuisine to commemorate the event.