PH eyes bigger slice of American specialty food market
The export promotion body of the Department of Trade and Industry is looking to tap more into the $220-billion specialty food industry of the United States, leading a delegation of local firms to showcase Philippine products this month.
The Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (Citem) on Monday said it organized a delegation of 16 local micro, small and medium enterprises to join the Winter Fancy Food Show 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
The trade fair ran from Jan. 19 to Jan. 21 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The participating local firms include CALE88 Foods Corporation, Fitrite, Inc., Fortune of Wishes Seafood Products, Profood International Corporation and The Cabalen Group.
Also participating is consolidator North Ridge Foods Company, Inc., along with brands from Alson’s Aquaculture Corporation, Bec and Geri’s Inc., Hopia King Bakery, Jeverps Manufacturing Corporation, KKK Food Corp., KSK Food Products, Mekeni Food Corporation, Prime Global Corp., Vegetari Vegetarian Products and Zigmund Enterprises.
“Philippine food is prime for the specialty food sector in this regard as participating exhibitors are offering products that use homegrown and natural ingredients, many of which are traditional and reflective of culturally rich communities,” Citem said in a statement.
“These include premium baked delicacies, vegetable-based snacks and treats, as well as instant or ready-to-eat mixes for convenient recreation of popular dishes at home, or adapting to the taste preferences of consumers and establishments alike,” it added.
Citing the event organizer, Specialty Food Association, Citem said there has been continuous growth in the specialty food industry, now a $200-billion market.
Industry sales likely reached more than $220 billion last year, the government body added.
