Exporting $927 million of food products to the U.S., the world's largest food importer, in 2018 and aiming to export $2 billion in 2023, the Turkish food sector is participating in the Summer Fancy Food Show, the largest specialty food industry event in North America, with 39 companies.
The Summer Fancy Food Show started yesterday in New York for the 65th time and runs until June 25. Birol Celep, Vice Coordinating Chairman of the Aegean Exporters' Association, said that Turkish food exporters had successfully undertaken the Fancy Food Show's National Participation Organization since 1998. He also noted that they would take part in the Fancy Food Show for the 22nd time this year, adding 39 Turkish companies would introduce delicious high-quality products to American buyers and participants from around the world.
The cooking event at the Turkish stand at the New York Summer Fancy Food Show will be held by Au Mas Turque Chef Özlem Oğuzcan Cranston, who has been living in the U.S. for a long time. The master chef will present participants with a feast of Turkish delicacies, while the Turkish coffee tasting area at the Turkish stand will offer unique tastes to visitors.
In addition to the tasting event, a Turkish brand will also mark both the exhibition areas and special publications. The official catalog of the exhibition, distributed before and during the Summer Fancy Food Show, as well as Specialty Food Magazine, one of the most important U.S. specialized magazines on gourmet food products, will feature a full-page ad on Turkey. The Fancy Food Show Daily, which will be published daily during the fair, will also cover country ads. On the official website of the show, interactive ads will provide access to contact information of exhibitors. Promotions will be held with U.S. influencers to promote Turkey's activities to a broader audience through effective channels.
Birol Celep stated that they would highlight Turkey as an essential food supplier with all the promotional activities to be realized in the Summer Fancy Food Show through the diversity and quality of the product design of the country. "The United States imports about $150 billion in food products annually. We want to get at least $2 billion of this. The Summer Fancy Food Show is a very valuable fair in terms of achieving this goal. Given the fact that Turkey's total food exports to the United States in 2018 stood at $927 million, it should not be forgotten that it is a very significant market for Turkish food exporters," Celep noted. "With the belief that this popular and world-renowned exhibition will open new doors to our exporters, we decided to carry out extensive promotional activities in the Summer Fancy Food Fair in 2018. We will take part in this exhibition with 39 companies and tasting activities on a total area of 539 square meters and strive to raise awareness of Turkish food products all over the world and thus contribute to our exports."
Indicating that the Turkish food sector was trying to diversify its export markets, Celep said market diversity was vital for countries like Turkey that had little market density, could not reach the expected level of branding and could not keep stable price policy within a certain band for various reasons. "Turkey can export to 224 countries, which means that we have no problems with entering the market. However, it is essential to carry out a thorough examination on a sectoral basis because our time to hold on to the market in many products remains less than three years," he continued. "Perhaps non-branding, incorrect pricing policies and policies of competing countries in the market may be the first issues that come to mind. However, if a retrospective study is conducted and due diligence is made to extend the holding periods in the market on a product basis and explained to the exporter by the relevant institutions, it is evident that more successful outcomes will occur. We continue our efforts to ensure that our companies become more successful by creating and reporting corporate memory."
As part of national participation, Turkish companies in the areas of dried fruits, olives, olive oil, fruit and vegetable products, cereals and legumes products, pasta, vegetable oils, non-wood forest products, spices and confectionery will take part in the show. Over 2,500 companies from 55 countries will attend this year's Fancy Food Show, which is expected to welcome around 25,000 visitors.
