Biofach 2020 – Organic Africa Pavilion

2020-03-04T16:23:52+00:00February 26th, 2020|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

During BioFach 2020, the Organic Africa Pavilion hosted 22 companies and organisations representing more than 17 African countries. We are very happy that our exhibitors evaluated two thirds of our their business leads as important. In addition, ProFound has been very busy during the fair, and not only at the Organic Africa Pavilion. “I have been to BioFach before just as a visitor, but I have to say that this is 20 times better because totally unexpected people can find you.”  Hilary Sommerlatte, Arbor Oils of Africa, exhibitor from Kenya / Frankincense oil A lot of interest for African products [Read more]

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Facilitating market access for natural ingredients for cosmetics from Colombia

2019-10-04T02:32:37+00:00October 3rd, 2019|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

To support the Colombia + Competitiva (C+C) programme from Swisscontact Colombia, ProFound consultants Jolanda van Hal, Lisanne Groothuis and Gustavo Ferro are developing a roadmap for the natural ingredients for cosmetics sector in Colombia. In addition, they provide individual coaching for three projects in the C+C programme that aim to export specific natural ingredients for cosmetics; sacha inchi oil, Magdalena River nut oil and annatto extract. Our consultants spent the last few weeks in Colombia, where they organised a workshop on the European market for cosmetic ingredients for stakeholders in the Colombian sector. Moreover, they identified key challenges and opportunities in Colombian [Read more]

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ProFound in South Africa – outcomes from the CBI project

2020-03-04T09:54:53+00:00July 5th, 2019|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

CBI’s Export Programme Natural Ingredients in South Africa has been concluded. ProFound has supported CBIs activities in the natural ingredients sector in South Africa since early 2014. What have we achieved on behalf of CBI in those years? First Natural Ingredients and Cosmetics Export Strategy of South Africa Stakeholders in South Africa’s natural ingredients sector were facing the same bottlenecks and leaving good opportunities untapped. However, they didn’t work together to overcome these problems. We joined up with CBI Business Support Organisation Development expert Jim Tersteeg to change this situation. Starting with bringing these stakeholders together. Making an exporter [Read more]

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Improving export development and promotion services to BioTrade companies

2019-06-03T11:28:41+00:00April 9th, 2019|Tags: , , , , , , |

In close cooperation with Miguel Camacho, ProFound provided a workshop on behalf of Helvetas. Together with Miguel we helped to reinforce capacities of business support organisations (BSOs) to deliver demand-driven, value-added services that promote exports of BioTrade natural ingredients. The workshop provided international best-case examples of services to companies. For example trade fair organisation, certification training, export market planning and buyer missions. In addition, the workshop linked BSOs to trade promotion organisations in their countries. This link helps BSOs to discuss how to implement these services in practice. During the workshop the BSOs designed their service portfolio and did initial [Read more]

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Tunisian and Balkan BSOs’ steep learning curve at HI/NI trade fair Frankfurt

2019-04-12T14:15:56+00:00December 5th, 2018|Tags: , , , , , , |

ProFound’s senior consultant Gustavo Ferro attended the Health Ingredients / Natural Ingredients trade fair in Frankfurt. He was supporting SIPPO in a series of capacity-building activities for Business Support Organisations from Tunisia and the Balkans. For example learning from orientation meetings with European buyers as well as competing suppliers and support organisations such as CBI. In addition to visiting the trade fair itself, the BSOs met with the European Spice Association (ESA) in Bonn and with the European Federation of Essential Oils to explore synergies and channels for future collaboration. Gustavo is working together with SIPPO’s external experts Teresa Hüttenhofer and Andrew [Read more]

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Launch of South Africa’s Natural Ingredients Export Strategy

2020-03-02T17:22:37+00:00October 25th, 2018|Tags: , , , , |

ProFound is proud to have been part of the launch of the South African natural ingredients export strategy 16-17 October 2018. The natural ingredients sector is a key segment of the government's re-industrialisation drive, with vital links to key economic policies such as the National Development Plan, Industrial Policy Action Plan and the New Growth Path. Economic growth needs to accelerate in a more inclusive manner and the natural ingredients sector is one sector that can achieve this. This sector holds great potential for South Africa because the global cosmetics, health and food markets are growing, in particular for [Read more]

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South African and Pakistani suppliers at Vitafoods: 46 potential orders

2019-07-05T08:59:19+00:00May 18th, 2018|Tags: , , , , |

The results of the CBI pavilion at Vitafoods 2018 made it clear: Vitafoods continues to lead when it comes to ingredients for healthy foods, food supplements and herbal medicine. The fair held 7-9 May in Geneva received 1,100 exhibitors across different ingredient categories and 21,000 corporate visitors. The show is on the frontline of emerging industry trends: the convergence between food and pharma, new ingredients, new delivery systems and the emergence of personalised nutrition. The 6 participants from South Africa and Pakistan made 350 high-quality business contacts resulting in 8 fixed orders and 46 potential orders. This was their last CBI-supported participation. [Read more]

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Nepalese and Tunisian essential and vegetable oils big hit at in-cosmetics

2020-03-04T13:31:53+00:00April 26th, 2018|Tags: , , , , , , , |

At and around in-cosmetics, we’ve supported three companies from Nepal and Tunisia to meet potential buyers. These companies are part of the programmes of the Import Promotion Desk in these countries. They produce a wide range of organic essential and vegetable oils, such as jojoba oil, rosemary oil, and myrtle oil from Tunisia for Bio Orient, and lemongrass oil, palmarosa oil, wintergreen oil and chiuri butter from Nepal for Everest Aroma and Himalayan Biotrade.  At in-cosmetics the companies met both new and existing buyers for their products. Afterwards, we met with three essential and vegetable oil buyers in Germany: [Read more]

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Upcoming activities in Q2

2020-03-04T13:35:21+00:00March 29th, 2018|Tags: , , , , , , , |

Amsterdam 17-19 April: introducing 21 exporters to the cosmetic market From 17-19 April you can find us at "in-cosmetics" in Amsterdam, the global trade fair for cosmetic ingredients. Visit CBI stand A30 to find business opportunities with 18 exporters from South Africa, Peru and Colombia. They will present a wide range of cosmetic ingredients, including luxurious oils, exquisite fragrances and innovative botanical extracts.  We will introduce three companies from Nepal and Tunisia to potential buyers during a selling mission, together with the Import Promotion Desk. These producers of organic essential and vegetable oils will visit the in-cosmetics trade fair. After the [Read more]

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ProFound supports project formulation for Colombia+Competitiva

2018-06-26T12:39:27+00:00September 26th, 2017|Tags: , , , |

As part of the SECO-funded Colombia+Competitiva programme, ProFound’s Gustavo Ferro was invited by Swisscontact to support Colombian applicants to formulate proposals for cocoa and natural ingredients projects. An expert panel will assess these proposals and choose projects that will be co-funded by the programme. Gustavo travelled to five locations in Colombia, and discussed extensively with project partners. With the organisations, he addressed broad subjects on market developments, access requirements, segmentation and, most importantly, how to translate the problems therein into practical interventions. Gustavo answered questions, shared experiences and assisted the applicants in structuring their thinking into a market systems approach. The Colombia+Competitiva [Read more]

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