Thirty-five companies from Greece and Cyprus will visit Melbourne next month to take part in Fine Food Australia, Australia’s largest international food and hospitality event.
The trade-only expo runs from 10-13 September at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and will feature over 1000 businesses, all vying for the attention of more than 24,000 buyers from restaurants, catering companies and every kind of business involved in food service and retail.
Greek companies taking part include global dairy exporter FAGE who will be promoting its Total brand yoghurt products in Australia for the first time.
Also represented will be Jivaeri ouzo produced at the oldest ouzo distillery in the world operated by Katsaros Nikolaos & Co. Other manufacturers inviting Australia to go Greek include Cretan dairy manufacturer Kalogerakis, organic olive and pickled products producer Banis Tradition, and Halkidiki-based DEAS olives and peppers.
With 21 producers taking part, Cyprus will be well-represented and be offering a wide range of products – from specialised vinegars (Artemis), premium wines from Paphos and Limassol (Loel Manufacturers) to traditional grape and dairy products from Paphos-based Katsoura.
Meanwhile, companies offering the staple Hellenic products to a saturated market face tougher competition than ever, according to industry analysts.
Peter Oikonomou, manager at Delta Sales, one of Australia’s leading importers, told Neos Kosmos:
“We’re always on the look-out for new exporters, but often they’re offering the same things – cheese, olives, oil, or baked items like rusks. Everyone says they have the best feta but it’s very difficult to break into the market with these kind of products.
“With the huge international economic turmoil, customers are more conscious of price than ever.
“What many companies don’t understand is that they have to offer extremely cheap prices, and they must invest in promoting and advertising their products here. If not, it can be a waste of time.”
Delta Sales’ manager says that innovation, as always, is key to success.
“Producers need to bring something new and exciting to attract the market.”
Meanwhile Black Swan, the leading Greek Australian-owned business best known for its dips, will be using the expo to launch new lines and showcase seven new products.
Mia Saris, PR manager for Black Swan, told Neos Kosmos that the expo presented a vital platform for producers wanting to expand into the Australian retail market, but also companies pushing into the tight-knit food service market.
“Fine Foods Australia is the ball game: that’s why we have an $18,000 stand. It’s important that we’re there with presence.”
“We’re big in retail with national distribution into stores like Coles, Woolworths and IGA, but we’re still looking to expand in the food service market, the catering industry – where product is bought in bulk.”
One of the new products to be showcased by Black Swan at the expo is a hybrid of its leading brand hommus.
“We’re always looking at what’s trending at restaurants and on TV shows like MasterChef,” says Saris.
“The Chermoula middle eastern spice blend is something that’s come from that research. It’s very on-trend at the moment.”
Developed over 12 months, Black Swan’s Chermoula Hommus, along with new lines of caramelised onion rings, baked cannellini beans and its own brand mayonnaise, will all get their premier at the expo. If picked up by the buyers, the products will be available in October.
The following companies from Cyprus and Greece will be attending Fine Food Australia:
From Cyprus – Amalia Coffee Grinding, Artemis Vinegar, Avgoustinos Food Industry, E.Neophytou Trading, K.Mavroudes and Sons, Kean Soft Drinks, KEO, Loel Manufacturers, M. Patis Bakeries, M.Loizou Dairies, Niki Agathokleous Ltd, Olympus Wineries, Papouis Dairies, Pavlos Cakes Industry Ltd, Petrou Bros Dairy Products, Pittas Dairies, SA Bioplants, Stavros Parpis Foodstuffs, The Three Bakers, Katsouras Traditional Products, Vivartia.
From Greece – Aegean Valleys, Crystal Coolers and Freezers, DEAS, Delcof, Hellenic Canned Fruit, Dem. Th. Bertzeletos and Bros, Dionyssos SA, Domaine Costa Lazaridi, FAGE, HEPO, I.M. Strofilia, Intercomm Foods, Kalogeraki Bros, Katsaros Nikolaos and Co, PAMI, Papayannis Bros, Siouras, Stavros Karoussos.