Buyers from 23 countries gather at the virtual Ecuador Food Fair, with the circular economy as the axis

Fedexpor inaugurated the third edition of this virtual fair, which was born in 2020 and by 2023 they hope to develop it physically.

TheEcuadorian Federation of Exporters (Fedexpor)This Tuesday inaugurated the third edition of the Ecuador Food Fair, which was born in 2020 as a response from the sector to maintain contact with its international markets during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event, which will be open until this Wednesday, April 13, has the support of the Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investment and Fisheries, Pro Ecuador and the European Union (EU) in Ecuador as a strategic ally. This edition highlights the axis of sustainability and competitiveness based on the circular economy, through the Geen Circular program, developed by Fedexpor and financed by the EU.

Felipe Rivadeneira, president of Fedexpor,explained that the circular economy is a sustainable economic model, based mainly on the use of waste with the aim of consuming little energy and not generating waste, thus obtaining raw materials or new products.

Regarding the fair, Rivadeneira indicated that this year the expectations of participation of exporters were exceeded by having more than 70 participants and more than 60 international buyers from 23 different markets.

The fair has eight pavilions: coffee and processed foods, cocoa products, non-traditional fruits, fishing and aquaculture, the exporter services pavilion and three processed food pavilions. Each exporter displays their product catalog and has an online chat, which allows them to coordinate B2B sessions with international buyers.

“The Ecuador Food Fair offers the opportunity to havestandsinteractive, B2B business roundtable and high-level training aimed at fair participants and the general public; all of this on the basis of sustainability, competitiveness and circular businesses, as well as digital strategies and consumer trends,” highlighted the leader, who added that the aim is to position Ecuador Food Fair as an international fair and ensure that in its fourth edition , in 2023, will be carried out in person. Register for the Pocket Economy newsletter

In the last edition,$9,460,000 in business projection expectations, 26,443 visits, 48,140 interactions and 862 business appointments; In addition, 1,334 people were trained in the conference room.

For its part,Charles Michel-Geurts, ambassador of the European Union in Ecuador, highlighted the strong participation of the Fedexpor Green Circular project in this edition of the event.

“The circular economy is a necessity as a response to the climate challenge that our planet is going through. It is also the opportunity to make the economic and social recovery after two years of pandemic green. It is sustainable. The circular economy creates jobs, creates businesses, creates new technologies; develop new qualifications and a better future,” said the ambassador, who assured that the trade agreement between the EU and Ecuador is a driver for these changes to more sustainable production and consumption.

While,Lorena Konanz, Vice Minister of Export and Investment Promotion, highlighted the theme of this edition and revealed some advances of the export sector in social responsibility, such as that more than 41,000 producers, associations and cooperatives directly export their products, among them more than 17,000 women.

In addition, seven organizations of small producers of bananas, cocoa, crafts and agro-industrial foods exported for the first time in 2021, while highlighting the progress in the production of organic products.

“In Ecuador we have more than 47,700 certified organic hectares and 101 small producer organizations of certified commercial companies that already have the organic seal,” specified Konanz, who announced that since April 27 they have implemented a new information and responsibility service. for SMEs through a two-day seminar, so that food product entrepreneurs know the importance of incorporating these concepts in their value propositions and business models and thus have tools to be able to design a strategy of responsibility and sustainability in your companies and products.