FoodPack of the Americas event successfully promotes two-way trade and investment - trade show

Business America, May 6, 1991

The 1991 FoodPack of the Americas trade show embodied the spirit of the Enterprise for the Americas and its emphasis on hemispheric two-way trade and investment by bringing together 94 U.S. machinery exporters and 132 Latin American food processors to explore opportunities for two-way trade and investment. More than 2,700 exhibitors and visitors participated in the four-day trade fair, which recorded $3.5 million in immediate sales and a projected total of $15.7 million in sales over the next 12 months.

FoodPack of the Americas is a new annual event produced by Marketing International Corp. of Arlington, Va., which characterizes the event as a two-way catalyst "to boost Inter-American trade by bringing together the people, the raw materials and the tools for food production and distribution." FoodPack '91, the first of ten annual shows to be held at the Miami Beach Convention Center, brought this concept to reality by juxtaposing U.S. exhibitors of food processing and packaging machinery with Latin American companies promoting their fresh and processed food products.

U.S. machinery exporters were able to discuss with potential Latin American buyers the ways in which U.S. equipment could improve the quality and marketability of Latin American food products. Additionally, Latin American machinery agents and distributors were on hand to examine opportunities for business with U.S. equipment exporters. Latin American food processors were able to display their products to several hundred potential U.S. buyers and brokers.

The FoodPack of the Americas concept build upon an already healthy area of U.S.-Latin American trade. Latin America represents an important market for U.S. machinery exporters, with the United States selling nearly $250 million annually in food processing and packaging machinery to Latin America. In return, Latin America exports 3.5 billion in processed food products to the United States.

The U.S. Department of Commerce's Latin America/Caribbean Business Development Center and the US&FCS Miami District Office coordinated closely to inform U.S. food importers and U.S. machinery exporters of the numerous services available to assist them in developing business in Latin America,

U.S. processed food importers and investors are encouraged to call Tom Wilde, Latin America/ Caribbean Business Development Center, at (202) 377-0703, fax (202) 377-2218. U.S. machinery exporters can take advantage of the many services of the Department of Commerce by contacting their local US&FCS district office, or by calling Eugene Shaw of the Department of Commerce's Office of Capital Goods at telephone (202) 377-3494, fax (202) 377-8304.

For more information on the 1992 FoodPack of the Americas, scheduled for Jan. 8-12, contact FoodPack of the Americas, Marketing International Corp., 200 North Glebe Rd., Suite 900, Arlington, Va. 22204, tel. (703) 527-8000, fax (703) 527-8006.