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From February 14 to 19, 2024, Vanilla Fair had the honor of participating in an exploratory and prospecting mission in Dubai as part of the European F2F Health Matters program. This participation constitutes a notable recognition for this Breton company, which specializes in premium Madagascar vanilla.
F2F Health Matters, a Unique Accelerator for the Internationalization of Agri-Food SMEs
An ambitious program for innovative SMEs
F2F Health Matters is an ambitious program led by an alliance of five European clusters: Wagralim (Belgium), Clusaga (Spain), BioEconomy Cluster (Slovakia), InovCluster (Portugal), and Valorial (France). Funded by the European Union’s COSME program, it aims to support innovative SMEs in the biotechnology and agri-food sectors in their international development. Food to Fork (F2F) focuses on European producers who are committed to offering quality products internationally.
Selection of target markets and program deployment
The project has pre-selected five target markets for the food sector: Canada, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, and Japan. After analysis, three markets will be selected to deploy the support program and commercial missions.
A High-Level French Delegation to Champion FoodTech
The companies selected for the mission
Alongside Vanilla Fair, the Breton company ALGOLESKO, represented by Magali Caignec, was also selected to join the French delegation. Valorial, the agri-food competitiveness cluster of the Grand Ouest region, orchestrated this mission to Dubai, which federate more than 400 industrial and academic players around food innovation.
5 days to explore the emirate market and forge partnerships
Opportunities Offered by the Mission
This mission provided Vanilla Fair with an opportunity to better understand the specificities and opportunities of the Emirati agri-food market. The program included B2B meetings with pre-selected importers and distributors, visits to retail outlets to grasp local trends, and an immersion at the Gulfood exhibition, the world’s largest event dedicated to food and beverages.
Support from TTE Gulf Management Consultancy
With the support of TTE Gulf Management Consultancy, a Dubai-based company and privileged partner of F2F Health Matters, the companies benefited from tailored guidance to optimize their local presence. Workshops and coaching sessions were organized to help participants discover and understand the specificities related to business relationships in the Middle East.
Promising Outcomes for Developing Vanilla Fair’s Reputation in the Middle East
Future prospects for Vanilla Fair
Beyond the visibility offered, this mission enabled Vanilla Fair to identify key business partners and consider promising collaborations. Just so you know, initial contacts were made, and they should materialize in the coming months.
Objective of development in the Middle East Market
The stakes are high for Vanilla Fair, which aims to become a leading player in the premium vanilla market in the Middle East. Dubai, a valid regional hub, is an ideal springboard to further deploy into other target countries.
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Conclusion: a successful first step
Building on this successful first experience, Vanilla Fair is riding the F2F Health Matters wave to accelerate its international development. New missions are already planned, with the renewed support of Valorial and European partner clusters.
