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Response overwhelming for Miami food and beverage show The 7th Americas Food and Beverage Show and Conference being held in Miami, Florida, December 2-3, will have a larger Atlantic Canadian presence this year. Company registration for the Atlantic Canadian pavilion is at capacity and has increased by two-thirds from 2003. In total, 23 companies have registered for the event. The Canada/Atlantic Provinces Agreement on International Business Development (IBDA) has invested $118,000 in this project. The agreement is designed to help provide opportunities to companies from Atlantic Canada to enter, explore and succeed in markets around the world. It involves three federal departments – the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), Industry Canada and International Trade Canada – and the four Atlantic Canadian provinces. "Through this agreement, ACOA continues to invest in projects that help Atlantic Canadian companies capitalize on their export potential," said Joseph McGuire, Minister of ACOA. "The Americas Food and Beverage Show, in particular, presents a significant growth opportunity for Atlantic Canadian companies. Miami is a major sales and distribution centre for food and beverage products heading to the Latin American and Caribbean region." "Newfoundland and Labrador has distinctive food and beverage products, and trade shows such as the Americas Food and Beverage Show provide local entrepreneurs the opportunity to present their products to an international market," said Kathy Dunderdale, Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development. "There are over 100 secondary food processors in our province, and value-added food and beverage products is a growing niche market." In the weeks leading up to the event, federal and provincial trade officers worked closely with participating companies to help them prepare for the event and identify potential business opportunities. During the event, Atlantic Canadian companies will exhibit their products under the Atlantic Canadian pavilion. They will also participate in a partnering program with Publix (a large supermarket chain), which will connect companies directly with Publix buyers via one-on-one meetings. There will also be networking opportunities during the show and on-site market visits to retailers in the Miami area. Since 1994, the IBDA has provided support to more than 65 international trade missions. Exit surveys administered by ACOA indicate that 34 per cent of companies that participated in an IBDA-sponsored trade activity for the first time have since begun exporting internationally. Forty per cent of the companies already exporting reported an increase in the volume of their exports and 30 per cent started exporting to new markets as a result of an IBDA activity. NOTE TO EDITORS: The following companies are scheduled to attend the Americas Food and Beverage Show (December 2-3, 2004):
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2004 11 29 4:05 p.m. |
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