The Ecuadorian Federation of Exporters (Fedexpor) inaugurated this Tuesday 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 fair has eight pavilions: coffee and processed products, cocoa products, non-traditional fruits, fishing and aquaculture, the exporter services pavilion and three processed food pavilions.

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 Green 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 material 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 products, cocoa products, non-traditional fruits, fishing and aquaculture, the exporter services pavilion and three processed food pavilions. Each exporter exhibits its product catalog and has an online chat, which allows it to coordinate B2B sessions with international buyers.

“The Ecuador Food Fair offers the opportunity to have interactive stands , B2B business conferences and high-level training aimed at fair participants and the general public; all this on the basis of sustainability, competitiveness and circular businesses, as well as digital strategies and consumer trends”, highlighted the leader, who added that it seeks to position Ecuador Food Fair as an international fair and ensure that in its fourth edition , in 2023, be carried out in person.

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

For his 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 the pandemic green. It is sustainable. The circular economy creates jobs, creates businesses, creates new technologies; develops new qualifications and a better future”, said the ambassador, who assured that the trade agreement between the EU and Ecuador is an engine for these changes to more sustainable production and consumption.

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

In addition, seven organizations of small producers of bananas, cocoa, handicrafts 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 organizations of small producers of certified trade companies that already have the organic seal,” specified Konanz, who announced that since April 27 they implement 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 into their value proposals and business models and thus have tools to be able to design a strategy of responsibility and sustainability in their companies and products.