Extenda-Andalusia, the agency devoted to the promotion of exports and foreign investment, has organized an online trade mission which is helping connect eight Andalusian fruit and vegetable companies with as many Canadian importers with the aim of promoting the consumption of fruits and vegetables from Andalusia in that market. Canada is showing great interest in finding new international suppliers, especially for products in the bio range, due to the growing consumption of fresh produce.
In the framework of the meeting, which has been carried out in a digital format to circumvent the restrictions caused by the pandemic, up to 45 business meetings have been carried out. These have allowed Andalusian firms to present their products to Canadian commercial agents from the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The target of this initiative is to pursue the diversification of sales in America for a sector that is the leading fruit and vegetable exporter in Spain and is well established in Europe, with 2,923 million sold in the first four months of the year.
According to data from the Extenda Office in Canada, despite disruptions in the supply chain caused by the pandemic, the fresh and frozen fruit and vegetable sector has not seen its sales in the North American market decrease at any time during 2020. In fact, the information supplied by importers shows that there's a very dynamic industry, interested in finding new international suppliers in 2021.
The consumption of fresh and frozen vegetables is also on the rise in Canada, a trend that has to do with the adoption of vegetarian or vegan diets, but which is also backed by health and government agencies. For instance, the Canada Food Guide, published in 2019, promotes the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables to improve the quality of life of Canadians. All this has resulted in Canadian importers showing a high interest in expanding their range of fruit and vegetable products; an interest that has materialized in the market's growth, with a 10% increase recorded in 2019.
Far from slowing it down, the pandemic has actually boosted this trend. The lockdowns caused families to cook more at home, and as a result, there was an increase in the consumption of fresh produce. This has resulted in a booming industry that is keen to find new international suppliers in 2021.
For more information:
Extenda
Calle Marie Curie 5, Isla de la Cartuja
41092 Seville, Spain
Tel.: +34 954 28 02 27
www.extenda.es