The Pacific Alliance (Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru) will hold its first virtual business roundtable connecting food and drink exporters with buyers in the UK.
With the Covid-19 pandemic disrupting international travel and trade, the organisershave decided to transform the annual Business Matchmaking Forum, which was due to be held in Santiago this month, into a virtual event.
It will consist of three market-focused roadshows, or e-Business Roundtables, for Europe, Latin America and Asia, starting with the UK on 29 June.
Around 60 food and drink exporters from the four Pacific Alliance countries will be able to meet with close to 30 of Britain’s leading buyers to present products including fresh and processed fruits, dry fruits, seafood, cocoa, coffee and honey, among others.
The event is being organised by trade promotion agencies ProChile, ProColombia and Promperú, and the Mexican Minsitry of the Economy in partnership with the Confederation of British Industry, the British Retail Consortium, the Department of International Trade, Canning House and other key British organisations.
“We are convinced that the only way to overcome this crisis and mitigate the damage inflicted by the crisis is through our ability to innovate and be creative,” said Jorge O’Ryan, managing director of ProChile.
ProColombia’s president, Flavia Santoro, added that the event was an opportunity to strengthen the bloc’s economies, boosting intra-regional trade and improving access to key markets such as the UK and Asia.
“We will present ourselves as a single commercial force and a key ally for businesses, taking advantage of our exporting and productive potential,” she said.
Sergio Silva, head of the Global Economic Intelligence Unit at Mexico’s Ministry of Economy, said: “these three e-Business Roundtables among the Pacific Alliance countries with the UK, Central America and Asia will be an opportunity for Mexican companies to establish different trade relations, now that we face a new international reality”.
Luis Torres, executive president of PromPerú said the Pacific Alliance was using all the tools at its disposal to strengthen commercial ties between the bloc and its partners.
“Technology allows us to shorten distances and ensure we continue providing a service to our companies, whilst prioritising the health of our clients,” he stated.
The next e-Business Roundtable will take place in Central America in August, followed by the final event in Asia at the end of September.
UK companies wishing to take part in the event can register at: https://www.prochile.gob.cl/difusion/varios/eRuedas-de-negocios-Alianza-Pacifico/
