Israelis in Search of Larger World Stage for Food Exports

Posted by Menachem Lubinsky on June 11, 2010 under Israel, Kosherfest | View Comments

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Tel Aviv…Several Israeli exhibitors at Kosherfest will not be coming directly from home this coming October. They will have made a stop at SIAL, the huge international food show that takes place several days earlier in Paris every two years. They will be part of a new 24 booth Israel pavilion that will follow a similar presence at ANUGA last year, a show that is held every two years in Cologne. Both shows are firsts for the Israelis as an organized pavilion, sponsored by the Israel Export Institute. With its superior technology, ideal climate for growing food ingredients, and new world class packaging, the Israelis are on a mission to dramatically expand food exports throughout the world. Michal Ne’eman of the Food Division of the IEI, told Kosher Today that last year’s foray in Anuga was highly successful, with many of the companies finding distributors in different parts of the world. The kosher status of the products has not hurt either as buyers from the US, Europe, and even the Far East showed interest. The IEI recently responded to a chain of stores from Thailand looking to stock kosher products in Bangkok for Jews who live there and for the many business travelers and tourists who also make the city a key destination for customers looking for kosher. In fact, Israeli food sources say that they would not be surprised if the Israelis showed up at a key food show in the Far East in the unforeseeable future. For whatever reason, say the sources, the Israeli government has suddenly found money to tackle these markets. Unlike a decade ago, the Israelis seem to have the production capacity to meet the demands of a growing market. Despite the attempts to broaden its horizons, Israelis still have to face a hostile and often ambivalent world that sees Israeli military action as one-dimensional. In fact, many Israeli manufactures were somewhat unnerved by the flotilla incident which one manufacturer said plainly is “not good for business.” If security is what they seek, none is better than the kosher market in the US, as is represented by Kosherfest. Israeli food exports to the US have risen dramatically in the past decade. Now Israelis are hoping for a cordial reception on the world stage of food exhibitions. The new slogan soon to be released for Israelis foods is “A Taste of Israel: A World of Flavors.”

Menachem Lubinsky is the founder and co-producer of Kosherfest, the annual trade event for the kosher food & beverage industry and is the editor-in-chief of KosherToday.  Menachem Lubinsky is also the President and CEO of LUBICOM Marketing Consulting a firm that specializes in strategic business and not-for-profit planning and implementation.