02 March 2015 – Three Philippine organic companies were featured at the BioFach 2015, in Nuremberg, Germany from February 10 to 13. BioFach is considered the world’s leading trade fair for organic goods.
Three organic companies were featured at the BioFach, namely, TreeLife Coco Sugar and Bios Dynamis. They shared the space at the Philippine Booth, as well as PRIMEX Group Philippines, which had its own booth. Nuremberg Messe Representative in the Philippines Karen Adecer, informed the Philippine Embassy in Berlin that the exhibitors were successful “in closing business deals and getting orders from Germany, other parts of Europe, Asia and the Middle East.” Ms. Adecer also noted that there were nine other foreign companies exhibiting at the Biofach who are using Philippine coconut to manufacture their own organic food and beverage line.
It has been three years since North Cotabato-based TreeLife and Bios Dynamis joined the BioFach. TreeLife exports premium organic coconut sugar and coconut syrup while Bioas Dynamis exports anti-oxidant organic black, brown and red rice.
The provincial government of North Cotabato has been very supportive of their presence at the trade fair. Commenting on the interest shown by foreign importers for organic products from the Phiilppines, North Cotabato Governor Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza said that “the reception of the international community to our locally grown products is very promising. It only shows that indeed, there is a bigger market for our farmers and small to medium scale businesses, as long as they pass specific international standards.”
Primex Group Philippines, on the other hand, has been exporting world-class high grade quality coconut products since 1991. Primex has been participating for the fourth time in the Nuremberg trade fair and among the products prominently displayed were organic banana chips, coconut milk powder, dessicated coconut and coconut oil made from copra or dried coconut.
All three companies have worked hard towards gaining recognition from international certifying institutions such as CERES, EU-certified eco-label and IFOAM.
Philippine Ambassador to Germany Melita S. Santa Maria Thomeczek encouraged the participating Philippine companies to sustain their presence at the BioFach. “Primex, TreeLife and Bioas Dynamis are the pioneers that will help usher Philippine brand awareness in organic farming among European customers. Germans are quite interested in knowing what organic products from the Philippines can be exported to Europe. As Germany is considered the biggest organic market in Europe, I am confident that given proper exposure, our organic food products will be very much accepted in this country.”
The BioFach fair was combined with the Vivaness, a trade fair for natural personal care and wellness. According to Nuremberg Messe officials, more than 44,000 trade visitors from 136 countries visited the joint trade fairs. END