Qld food exporters pitch to importers at virtual trade fair

More than 60 Queensland companies have pitched a wide range of Queensland food and drink products in a virtual trade fair featuring importers and distributors in 12 major Asian cities.

While the coronavirus pandemic has stymied overseas trade missions, the Taste of Queensland promotion this year has gone online, with exporters and importers negotiating via virtual meetings.

During negotiations, most buyers will be able to taste test the wide range of food and beverage products already dispatched to them.

Premier and Minister for Trade Annastacia Palaszczuk said the virtual trade push reinforces in key Asian markets that Queensland is open and keen for more business, which is vital for the state’s economic recovery.

“This novel, month-long promotion has already generated very keen interest in our Asian markets, with so many potential buyers already signed up for online meetings,” the Premier said.

The Premier said in the last two years, the Taste of Queensland events have chalked up more than $10 million in sales for Queensland exporters.

“Queensland-based Nutrafruit is an outstanding exporting success story, with an expected 300% rise in export volumes this year alone for its antioxidant products made from the Queen Garnet Plum.

“And it’s exciting that more Queensland businesses — some like Nourishing Bites, who’ve never exported before — are getting their products in front of Asian buyers this year too.”

Townsville-based Nourishing Bites — an Indigenous-owned manufacturer of healthy treats — will present its product in Singapore, the centre of the dynamic Southeast Asia region, after two years of detailed product development and market research.

“This is an incredible opportunity for us,” Nourishing Bites owner Shelley Grainger said.

“We’ve spent the past two years refining our product range to suit overseas taste profiles, understanding the export landscape and deciding which markets we’re best to target. We’re so proud to showcase amazing Indigenous Australian agriculture and ingredients and very hopeful for our first ever export deal,” she said.

“All the support, including even getting our products freighted to Singapore, has been just amazing — freight costs have gone up, so that practical support has been absolutely crucial.”

Nourishing Bites was established as a Townsville market stall in 2013 and now operates online and physical stores, a cafe and baking classes.

In 2019 it received Deadly Deals funding from the Advance Queensland Deadly Innovation Strategy. It is included in the Advance Queensland Indigenous Native Food Program.

For more information about Taste of Queensland, visit https://www.tiq.qld.gov.au/. 

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Gabriele Maltinti