SA companies pleased with progress in Moscow
South African businesspeople showcasing their products at the World Food Moscow International Food Exhibition are pleased with the progress made at the exhibition.The World Food Moscow started on 11 September and is scheduled to conclude on Thursday, 14 September 2017,
The businesspeople, whose participation in the exhibition has been funded by the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti), expressed satisfaction with the exposure and attention that their companies have been receiving since the exhibition started. They have even expressed confidence in securing a remarkable amount of deals on their return.
Mr Rydal Jeftha of Koopmanskloof, a wine making company, says he is pleased with the progress made thus far. He says he gained substantial contacts and received good leads that he will follow-up on. Jephta adds that he is finalising a deal that will see more of his wines making their way to Moscow.
He says that he started participating in the international exhibitions and trade missions in 2008 with the support of the dti with no exports, and is now exporting over half a million bottles of wines per year. His company has a market share in China, Russia with Belgium and Holland as its biggest market. According to Jephta, all this was made possible by the government’s support through the dti.
“We came to Russia with the intention to expand our current international distribution of bottled wines and build relations with our current customers and get new customers. Getting more business would mean we have to employ more people, over and above the 120 permanent staff and 300 in-season staff that we currently employ,” uttered Jeftha.
Walker Bay Spices are also making their presence felt at the exhibition. Mr Eugene Van der Walt who is representing the company says he has had very good leads which are promising. He says he is hopeful that by the end of the week he would have more leads that he will follow-up on. According to him, the trade shows and missions are working for the company as they have opened the export markets in Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa amongst others.
South Africa’s Foreign Economic Representative in Russia, Mr Moloko Leshaba also expressed content with the progress made thus far. According to him, the Russian interest in the South African spices, sources and vegetables means the South African exports to Russia that are currently dominated by fresh fruits and wines would be diversified.
Leshaba added that the South African participation in the exhibition four years in a row has helped to create a brand and retailers and distributors come looking for the stand to experience the South African products.
SA’s Foreign Economic Representative in Russia, Mr Moloko Leshaba looks on as Rydal Jeftha shows his wines to a potential buyer
Enquiries:
Sidwell Medupe-Departmental Spokesperson
Tel: 012 394 1650
Cell: 079 492 1774
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za
Follow us on Twitter: @the_dti
