RIYADH, 8 October 2004 — Encouraged by the recent lifting of the ban on Philippine marine products in the Kingdom, Filipino food makers hope to expand their exports to the Kingdom, with a view to penetrating the Saudi mainstream market.

Members of a Food Selling Mission from Manila, which arrived in Riyadh on Sunday to meet with Saudi businessmen, said the task is not that easy but it is something “doable.”

“Aside from addressing the needs of our compatriots who are here in the Middle East, we believe that we are also addressing a potential, prospective mainstream market in the next five years,” said Tomas Medina, president and CEO of Branded Food and Ingredients Enterprises, which is part of the delegation.

Medina said 39 companies — from multi-national, regular and large companies, to small-medium enterprises — in the Philippines are represented in the delegation, which just finished its visit in Dammam on Wednesday and Thursday.

His company alone exports juices, fruit preserves, and native delicacies to 39 countries.

“We are both sourcing for multi-national supermarkets as well as distributors for certain brands like ZEST-O drinks, with its dalandan and calamansi flavors, soda, Quick Chow, Nestle and Dole,” he said.

In an interview with Arab News, Medina exuded optimism as he noted developing “cordial atmosphere” in promoting Filipino products in the Kingdom, which hosts an estimated 900,000 Filipinos, second only to the United States.

He said that a number of Filipino small and medium enterprises have potential for growth in the confectioneries, beverage and snack categories, which only need “re-formulation” for the mainstream Saudi market.

Imelda Madarang, vice president and general manager of the Corporate Export Division of RFM Corporation, said Filipino exporters are very much encouraged more than ever because of the lifting of the ban on Philippine marine products.

According to Vice Consul Victor Romulo Israel Jr., who also met the delegation with Ambassador Bahnarim Guinomla, the embassy received the formal notice in July lifting the ban on marine products.

However, Madarang said Filipino exporters should go beyond ordinary seasonings like fish paste, soy sauce, and vinegar.

“We can compete. Our products are world-class and competitive from quality, price, and packaging, which has even French translations because it has penetrated Canada already,” Madarang said, showing samples for emphasis.

Seeing an early lifting of ban on Philippine dairy products, Madarang was hopeful that Selecta ice-cream of RFM would soon find a place in the freezers of big supermarkets in the Kingdom and in the Gulf.

She said that most of the traders are only concerned about the price, who have no loyalty and only buy the most popular brands from different exporters.

“What we are looking at now are distributors to really build the brand, those who would invest and then promote a brand. We are looking for those who will champion our products,” she said.

And, she said, there is also a need for an intensified awareness campaign among OFWs, the best promoters of Philippine products, and the locals about world-class Philippine products, she said.

The group showed optimism on the forthcoming visit of a 100-member delegation of Saudi businessmen in February next year to the Philippines through the initiative of Saudi ambassador to Manila Mohammed Ameen Wali, who promised to work for the expansion of ties particularly in trade and economic cooperation when he assumed his post in May.

According to Medina, the visit of the delegation will be a good opportunity for the Philippines not only to get the investors into food but also look into the Philippines as an investment area.

The Food Selling Mission is an initiative of the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), an export promotions agency of the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry, in cooperation with the Philippine Trade Office and the Philippine Embassy in Dubai.

The trip in the Kingdom was coordinated by Attaché Yusuf Usudan of the economic section of the embassy.

From Wednesday till yesterday, the delegation was in Dammam. It moves to Qatar tomorrow and to their final stop in Dubai on Monday.