Great business deals inked as Brazil showcases cuisine in France

The public was fascinated by the Brazilian ingredients

Published on 15/02/2019 - 16:10 By Augusto Queiroz - Brasília

Amazonian roots, black tucupi, puxuri, hydrated tapioca flour, coconut milk, and coriander root were among the ingredients that rose Brazil to grandeur and style last month at the world’s biggest haute cuisine contest: the Bocuse d’Or, in Lyon, France.

Brazil’s team of first-class chefs earned the country a spot among the 24 finalists—a group that brought together the best in world cuisine. To prove that Brazilian flavors can please a wide range of tastes, Brazilian master cooks prepared never-before-seen recipes and talked with the public.

While the chefs were busy in the competition, a few meters away from the knives and pans, ten Brazilian companies showcased their specialty ingredients to the approximately 8 thousand international customers at Sirha—the main international fair for food service and hotel professionals—in which the world’s top companies compete for the attention of consumers.

Specialty flavors and multi-million-dollar deals

With the performance of every chef a smash hit among fans, Brazilian companies believe that business contracts inked at Bocuse d’Or are likely to bring some $4.5 million to the country in the coming 12 months.

“Networking is key. At every event, customers have a chance to have a taste and learn the ways to use the products, and are more and more fascinated with the ingredients we offer,” said Fernando Arruda, the export manager with a firm that brought to the competition hydrated tapioca flour—one of the most sought-after foods among novelty hunters—along with açaí, fruit pulps, and cooked and vacuum-packed foods.

“Brazil is a major food exporter, but now we want to boost the international sales of added-value goods. This is the first time Brazil takes part in the business branch of Sirha, with great results,” said Camila Meyer, business analyst with the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency, Apex-Brasil.

“Promotion initiatives directed at such specialized public as this provide a great opportunity not only to show Brazilian cuisine, but also to prove that our ingredients can turn traditional dishes into something unique and precious.”

Brasileiros participam de evento de gastronomia em Lyon, na França.
Brazil’s team of first-class chefs earned the country a spot among the 24 finalists—a group that brought together the best in world cuisine. - André Bezerra/Apex-Brasil

Brazil is in

Apex-Brasil backed the chefs representing Brazil in the competition and managed the Brazilian participation in the event. The next edition of the fair is slated to be held in January 2021, always in Lyon—one of the main centers for world gastronomy. Brazil is confirmed to participate.

“The diversity of climate and biomes in Brazil provide us cooks with a wide range of specialty products, enabling Brazil to bring to tables all across the world this abundance of flavors we have at our disposal,” said chef Guga Rocha, who prepared a dish with mandioquinha (Arracacia xanthorrhiza) with black beans, cashew nuts, leaf salad, and a dash of vinegar scented with Amazonian fruits from the Brazilian shelves.

*With information from Apex Brasil

Translation: Fabrício Ferreira -  Edition: José Romildo

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