Canadian trade mission seeks Phl biz ties

MANILA, Philippines - The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service in Manila hosted recently a trade mission representing 14 agri-food, health, and pharmaceutical companies from Canada.

The delegation met with media and local buyers from the food and health industries, opening opportunities for new and exciting Canadian products to be within reach of Filipino consumers.

One-on-one business meetings were conducted where local companies sat down with the Canadian organizations to discuss trade interests and opportunities.

Products represented were meats, vitamins, food supplements, grocery produce, confectioneries, baked items, beverages, and organic products. Samples for tasting and display were provided to familiarize the buyers with the companies’ product offering.

Support from the government and trade associations were shown through the presence of envoys from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership (STEP), Canadian Food Exporters Association (CFEA), and Food Beverage Canada (FBC).

Representing AAFC, Gretchen Bozak, regional trade commissioner for Southeast Asia, was pleased to see the local buyers’ excitement, as reflected by the strong attendance and subsequent inquiries.

“The ASEAN market is an important one for Canada, and we’ve seen growing interest in this region for Canadian products. Canada has always been known for its natural resources and stringent food safety inspection; both raw and finished products reflect high-quality standards,” Bozak said.

The Canadian companies in the delegation were Jamieson Laboratories, Fusion Coffee, Herbaland Naturals, Interspan Canada, Nemfood Corp., Organika Health Products, Shandiz Natural Foods, Trumps Food Interest, Western Food Exports, Prime Health, Park Tak International Corp., Berbician, Khanna International Trading, and Culinary Destinations.

Manila was their last stop in the nine-day Asian mission, following visits to Bangkok in Thailand, and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.

Based in the Embassy of Canada in Manila, the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service holds regular incoming missions across key sectors, showcasing Canadian companies’ expertise and product diversity to buyers through activities such as networking events and business meetings.