Murray Produce on show in Asia
13 May 2010
Eric Dean and associate at the Food and Hotel Asia Expo in Singapore
A Finley snack food manufacturer looks set to win contracts to supply produce to the lucrative Singapore and Dubai markets.
Sun Valley produces a preservative free natural fruit bar and recently attended Asia’s largest food and hospitality trade show, the Food and Hotel Asia Expo in Singapore. It was an opportunity for the Finley manufacturer to showcase its popular fruit bar to potential agents, distributors and buyers.
Sun Valley was one of 20 companies supported by NSW State and Regional Development at the event, designed to assist them win lucrative overseas contracts.
Sun Valley Managing Director Eric Dean was overwhelmed with the feedback.
“We went to the event hoping to secure one long term contract, preferably to supply a supermarket chain,” Mr Dean said.
“At this stage, we’re in negotiations with two distributors which is a terrific and hopefully in three to four months we’ll be well placed to service these new markets.”
Sun Valley has exported to the UK for the past five years, but attempts to break into the Asian market produced little success in the past.
“We looked at Asia for expansion in the 90’s, but our product was considered a little westernised at the time. But with community focus around the world switching to natural, preservative free nutritional snacks, our fruit bar is now appealing to new markets,” Mr Dean said.
“We have a totally natural product, a healthy one and that’s something everyone is looking for. We’ve certainly found a niche in the nutritional snacks sector.”
The Food and Hotel Asia event attracted more than 52,000 trade visitors and featured more than 2,800 exhibitors from 70 countries.
Minister for State and Regional Development, Ian Macdonald hopes companies like Sun Valley will benefit from this added exposure to the growing Asian market.
“With the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement coming into effect in January, our trade with Asia is expected to grow significantly,” Mr Macdonald said.
“The ASEAN countries already represent a $3 billion food and beverage market for Australian exporters and food consumption across South East Asia is set to increase by between 5 and 14 per cent.
“Our State’s food and wine industries can benefit from this growth – they are both long established, enjoying many advantages including our ‘clean and green’ natural environment and a wide diversity of growing conditions.”
Mr Macdonald said the market visit to Singapore was part of the State Government’s program to help NSW companies win business in international markets.
For the full Minister Ian Macdonald’s media release please click following link to download
