Summer Fancy Food 2024
Four members of the Catalyze team attended the hugely successful Summer Fancy Food show in late June with the African Fine Foods Pavilion. The event hosted a diverse range of buyers, industry professionals, and investors.
“The Africa Fine Foods Pavilion was a melting pot of the senses! I experienced all the unique African foods and beverages, not only by sampling the products but also by the level of conversations with the makers who were passionate about their products. A truly educational experience.” Mogani Wynne - Dyke, Senior International Banker, Absa Bank Limited – New York Representative Office, U.S.A. (Investor)
The Catalyze team and the African Exporters who showcased their brands on the Pavilion, left excited for the connections made and opportunities ahead.
“The Summer Fancy Food show proved a great success for Secco Drink Infusion, linking us to many key buyers and distributors in the USA. Getting in front of the buyers also gave valuable insight into the minds of consumers in the U.S.A. and how they perceive brands.” Wessel Pieterse, Tastelab, South Africa (Exporter)
The Africa Fine Foods Pavilion was put together by Prosper Africa & the USAID Africa Trade and Investment Activity, and was a clear success, with U.S. buyers showing keen interest in the quality and value that Africa has to offer.
“I took my HomeGoods buyer through the entire Pavillion and we were able to shortlist quite a few brands that we are interested in. We were very impressed with the variety of products and the quality of their items and packaging.” Anita Palma, Director of Sales & Marketing, B.I.G., U.S.A. (Buyer)
“Thank you for all the huge efforts made by Catalyze, USAID, and Prosper Africa for us to attend the Summer Fancy Food Show 2024. We are so grateful for our participation. It was a great, successful, and interesting show with great feedback on our new African label and range! It was fabulous to meet and see so many important buyers coming by the Africa Pavilion. Noticeably more than usual.” Rozelle Abramson, Director, Fynbos Fine Foods, South Africa (Exporter)
The Africa Pavilion B2B Matchmaking program was consistently busy with 112 individual buyers from 91 buying companies connecting with our African exporters. 1,000 meetings happened at the event, and many more deal development meetings will be scheduled over the coming months. Buyers included well-known names such as Costco, Grocery Outlet, Central Market, Albertsons, as well as some brilliant wholesalers and distributors servicing the U.S. market.
“Our participation at Summer Fancy Food Show was a resounding success, offering invaluable exposure and growth opportunities for our brand. We conducted numerous sampling sessions, where our products received overwhelmingly positive responses. Attendees were particularly impressed with the authentic flavour of our chinchin and its beautiful packaging, resulting in amazing feedback and significant interest from potential partners. We engaged with industry stakeholders, including distributors and fellow manufacturers. These interactions have enhanced Gratia’s visibility and opened doors for potential collaborations and partnerships, which we are actively pursuing to expand our market reach.” Hikmat Kelani, Director, The Flourishing Treat Company, Nigeria (Exporter)
Catalyze is ready and eager for the next phase of this program and our team is already engaging with the buyers and sellers, facilitating and supporting new deals, not only with the African Exporters who exhibited at Summer Fancy Food, but also with other African exporters who have the capacity and specific product requirements of the buyers.
The team is also selecting U.S. buyers that showed the most enthusiasm for the continent’s potential to experience Africa’s opportunities firsthand by attending Engage Trade Africa in September 2024. This event has a program that will provide them with a comprehensive understanding of the African market, fostering deeper connections and long-term partnerships.
“We stopped through the African Pavilion and wanted to say that the flow of the booths and their engagement with us was fantastic! We are still hoping that we get invited back to South Africa again this Fall as we are very keen on increasing trade between the U.S. and Africa. We are working to make that a viable option for several companies in Africa now.” Jim Demaree, Owner, F.R.I. Marketing, U.S.A. (Buyer)
Summer Fancy Food 2024 was a rewarding experience for everybody involved and the results will continue to show in U.S. and African trade.