São Paulo – Apart from the tourists who are travelling to Brazil to watch the World Cup matches, the tournament will bring to the country 2,300 foreign importers, investors and opinion-makers who are interested in buying local products. They are participants in the World Cup Project, organized by the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brazil) in partnership with 708 companies and organizations from various sectors.
“The project allows international buyers a unique experience in Brazil, enabling them to come into contact with various enterprises. This makes for a unique relationship platform. It is a means to improving the image of Brazilian products and companies,” explains Jacy Braga, the Relationship Marketing manager at Apex.
The World Cup Project comprises buyers from 76 different sectors, including housing and construction, foodstuffs, beverages and agribusiness. According to Braga, visitors hail from over 100 countries, and in higher numbers from the United States and Argentina.
The importers’ schedule includes actions such as matchmaking rounds, visits to manufacturing plants, fairs, farms, and laboratories, in addition to meetings, lectures and seminars. The Apex partner companies and organizations are organizing 837 separate business schedules, i.e. sets of appointments to be kept by the international visitors for the duration of the tournament.
The business environment will be extended into the World Cup matches the foreigners will attend. The Apex will set up an exclusive facility for promoting relationships between Brazilian executives and the importers. “There will be an emphasis on Brazilian technology, with tablets featuring the Brazilian matches, a pinball arcade and Brazilian interactive games,” says Braga.
Exports and investment attraction during the World Cup are expected to exceed R$ 3 billion (US$ 1.3 billion), a sum similar to the turnover during the Confederations Cup, held in 2013. Braga notes that aside from the sales volume elicited by this type of action, the relationship and the awareness of Brazilian products and companies also improve greatly as a result of the promotional actions linked to the tournament.
“During the Confederations Cup, we questioned foreign buyers as to their perception of Brazil as a business partner. Prior to the event, 58% gave either good or very good grades; following the trip, the rate of good or very good grades climbed to 84%,” says the Apex manager.
The image of Brazil has improved in other aspects during the contest last year. When questioned about the perception of quality of Brazilian products and services, good and very good grades amounted to 56% before the tournament, and soared to 87% after the foreigners travelled to Brazil. Regarding the perceived professionalism of Brazilian business executives, good and very good grades stood at 40% before and 87% after the event.
Large and small businesses are taking part in the World Cup Project. The best-known brands are Bauducco, Garoto, Piccadilly, Marcopolo, Randon, Portobello and Cecrisa.
Arabs on the field
Buyers from countries in the Middle East and North Africa will be among the participants in the World Cup Project. Nine Arab companies, for instance, will engage in matchmaking rounds at the offices of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, one of Apex’s partner organizations.
“The project will also allow Arabs to visit companies and suppliers to see their facilities on the spot and assess the business outlook with these companies,” says Michel Alaby, the Arab Chamber CEO.
The executive stresses that this is a chance to truly showcase the country to the Arabs, instead of simply speaking about Brazil, and an opportunity for buyers to enjoy Brazilian football. “The Arabs are aficionados when it comes to football and the Brazilian national team,” he says.
The matchmaking rounds at the Arab Chamber will have three different phases. On June 8th and 9th, negotiations will involve food companies from the Gulf; on June 25th and 26th, construction industry companies will participate; and on July 2nd and 3rd, food companies from North Africa will attend.
“It is also an opportunity for Arabs to learn about the Arab Chamber’s role and activities as a supporter of this project, and as a serious organization that may follow up with the contacts between Arabs and Brazilians,” says Alaby.
The Arabs attending the matchmaking at the Arab Chamber are a part of a larger group of Middle Eastern buyers who are coming to the country during the Cup. According to Braga, the Apex is bringing 68 importers from the region, from Arab countries such as United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan and Libya, and non-Arab countries such as Iran and Turkey. Importers from Sudan, in North Africa, are also involved in the project.
These buyers will keep appointments set by various Apex partners. They are coming to Brazil to do business in 18 different sectors, like foodstuffs, construction, footwear, pharma chemicals, toiletries and perfumery, agricultural machinery and implements, medical products, and textiles, among others.
“The Arab countries are very important to Brazil’s exports. They are crucial to our project, and we are counting on them to do business at the events we will carry out with the Arab Chamber and other partners,” says the Apex manager.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
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