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Food exports from Turkey to the USA increased by 65% $242 million

Expo West, the Largest Trade Fair in the Natural and Organic Products Industry, was held in the USA on March 8-12, 2022.

Natural Products Expo West, the largest trade fair for the $274 billion natural and organic products market, hosted its guests safely and successfully at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA on March 8-12. Celebrating its 41st year, the event includes natural and organic food, beverage, beauty and household products; brought together more than 2,700 exhibitors and 57,000 visitors who wanted to experience the latest innovations in sectors such as food supplements. Expo West, attended by large retail chains such as Albertson’s, Kroger, Aldi, 7-Eleven, Sprouts, Whole Foods Market, GNC, Costco, Cambridge Naturals, PCC Markets, Earth Fare, Natural Grocers, Healthy Edge, Medly, Jimbo’s Naturally, Natural Grocers, Fresh Thyme and visitors who want to learn about the newest products that will be on the supermarket shelves in the coming period, also offers important opportunities to discover new brands and products.

AN IMPORTANT PLATFORM

Brands participating in the fair and newly entering the market, on the other hand, describe the fair as an eye-opener and a very important platform to be accepted and supported in the natural and organic sector, and to meet new buyers, distributors, suppliers and packagers. In the Fair, where the prestigious NEXTY Awards representing the healthy living trends of the future were presented, many events and various educational sessions examining product innovations that will lead to positive change in the natural and organic products industry were also included for four days.

NATURAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRY

Birol Celep, Chairman of the Board of Directors, who visited the Fair on behalf of the Aegean Dried Fruits and Products Exporters’ Association, said: “The analysis of natural product trends at Expo West reveals that the trends are shifting towards producing solutions for the future rather than getting rid of today’s problems. In today’s changing consumer behavior, it is of great importance for the natural products industry to predict where consumers are heading. In this respect, he stated that as Turkey, it is necessary to follow the trends of the future and develop strategies by analyzing consumer behavior correctly, and said, “The goal of increasing the trade volume between Turkey and the United States to $100 billion encourages exporters in the US market even more.” and shared the information that food exports from Turkey to the USA in the January-February period of 2022 increased by 65% from $147 million to $242 million.

$1 BILLION 94 MILLION

Stating that the annual food import of the USA is $160 billion, food exports from Turkey to the USA increased by 35% from $810 million to $1 billion 94 million in 2021, Celep said, “The increase in our food exports to the USA continues to increase in 2022. At Natural Expo West, 10 Turkish companies introduced Turkish food products to further increase our exports.The West of the USA is both environmentally friendly and values human health. They give their right to healthy foods when purchasing. We expect this promotion to lead to commercial agreements in the coming period. We will continue to focus on markets with high purchasing power.”

THE PANDEMIC IS OVER THE AGENDA

Pointing out that the pandemic is falling off the agenda of the whole world, President Celep touched on that he witnessed the pandemic falling off the agenda in America, and that the next priority agenda of the world would be to fight inflation. Celep said, “Currently, there is commodity input inflation. When the demand inflation of the consumers starts, the real figures will make all producers happy, exporters and the Turkish economy as well. I would like to underline this once again for all sectors based on agriculture.”

TURQUALITY PROJECT

Expressing that they will focus on the TURQUALITY Project, in which 6 exporters’ unions act jointly in the Aegean Exporters’ Association, and the fairs, in order for Turkish exported products to receive a share of $2 billion from the US market in 2023, Celep continued his words as follows: “The relations initiated by our President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the US President Joe Biden will further strengthen the commercial relations. All conditions are suitable to increase the trade volume between the two countries to $100 billion. Turkish exporters will be in Washington and New York on March 14-18, 2022 in cooperation with the Turkish Exporters Assembly and the Presidency of Communications. On March 15, a delegation from the USA will be in Turkey.”

WELLNESS BUYERS

Natural Expo West Fair, which has been held since 1981, mainly appeals to wellness buyers and consumers in the West side of the USA, and is considered among the most important trade fairs in the field of organic, healthy food worldwide. The biggest event in the $274 billion industry, the fair, which could not be held in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, was held for the 41st time this year. More than 2,800 food manufacturers, importers and distributors from 110 different countries around the world participated in the fair as participants.

According to New Hope Network’s Nutrition Business Journal, The organic industry grew 7.7% to reach $274 billion in 2021 and is projected to exceed $300 billion by 2024 and $400 billion by 2030 as the pandemic drives consumer behavior and new customers entering naturally and organically in permanent ways. Natural Products Expo East 2022 will be held September 28-October 1 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. Natural Products Expo West 2023 will take place March 7-11 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

PRESENTED TO AMERICANS

Turkish food exporters also attended the Winter Fancy Food Fair held in Las Vegas on February 6-8 and presented Turkish food products to the Americans. In the January-February period of 2022, the grains, pulses, oilseeds industry ranked first in the export of food products from Turkey to the USA, with an amount of $113 million, while the fruit and vegetable products industry exported $61.5 million. The olive and olive oil sector increased its exports from $8 million to $31 million with a record increase of 281%. While the dried fruit sector showed an export performance of $16 million, the aquaculture and animal products sector exported $13 million and the hazelnut industry $6 million.

Source: Sabah / Translated by Irem Yildiz

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