The Fine Food Australia expo in Sydney, featuring food and wine companies from across the globe, finished on Thursday. Greek companies though were noticeably absent from the expo. It is the first time in many years that Greek products were not on show at the four day event.

Each year the exhibition is hosted alternatively by Melbourne and Sydney.
“This absence [of Greek companies] is by no means a reflection of indifference towards the Australian market,” Commercial Attache for the Greek Consulate General in Sydney, Nikos Christodoulidis explained to Neos Kosmos English Edition (NKEE).

He also stressed the fact that exports of Greek products in Australia have increased over the last few years as further proof of Greek interest in the Australian market.

According to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Greek exports have risen by 11.3 percent in 2008, continuing the ongoing upward trend for the last four years.
Greek participation in the Fine Food exhibition is managed and partly financed by the Greek organisation for the promotion of exports, which includes the Fine Food exhibition in its yearly plans.

However, this year it did not receive any expressions of interest. “A good explanation could be the recent business delegation that came to Australia in late April 2009, comprising of representatives from seven different companies,” Mr Christodoulidis said.

Among the participants were DEAS S.A. (processing and wholesale trade of olives and pickles), Roussas Dairy and Ouzo Plomari.
“Although exhibitions such as the Fine Food are a good chance for a company to be showcased, business trips are a lot more targeted with prescheduled meetings between exporters and major importers,” Mr Christodoulidis added.
continued page 2

Meanwhile, Cyprus had an impressive presence at the Fine Food Australia with a total of 32 companies being represented.

“It was the largest country participation that I have seen in the last few years,” Mr Christodoulidis noted.
The Cypriot Ministry of Trade and Industry which led the Cypriot participation covered all costs for the represented companies. Altogether, 29 countries from all over the world took part in this year’s Fine Food Australia.