The Agro.BR Project, an initiative by the Brazilian Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock (CNA) in partnership with ApexBrasil, led a commercial mission to China from late May to early June 2024. The delegation, comprising rural entrepreneurs, focused primarily on SIAL Shanghai, China’s largest agri-food fair. This mission aimed to promote Brazilian products, create business opportunities, and exchange technical knowledge with the Asian market.
CNA and ApexBrasil at SIAL Shanghai
During SIAL Shanghai, the Brazilian delegation took part in several institutional and business meetings, strengthening ties and exploring new possibilities in the vast Chinese market. The official opening of the Brazilian pavilion was attended by Rosilene Bandera, International Relations Advisor at CNA, Laudemir Muller, Agribusiness Manager at ApexBrasil, and Roberto Perosa, Secretary of Commerce and International Relations at the Ministry of Agriculture.
Essenciale: Highlight at the Innovation Pavilion
Among the participating companies, Essenciale Bee Products, represented by Nivia Alcici, stood out by reaching the end of the SIAL Innovation Pavilion with two innovative products: a shot based on açai, grape, green propolis and other ingredients and gourmet olive oils combined with green and red propolis. This achievement shows Essenciale’s commitment to innovation and quality. Founded over 20 years ago by Nívia Alcici, Essenciale specializes in the production and export of propolis-based products in their offerings, highlighting the use of Minas’ green propolis, considered one of the world’s best. The company produces a wide range of products, including extracts using alcoholic, aqueous, glycolic, oily and other extraction techniques. sprays, capsules, and tonics. The brand also features a Prop For Kids, line specially developed for children and also natural energy drink with ingredients such as Amazon guarana and catuaba, and other products.
Participation at SIAL China
Nivia Alcici shared her experience at SIAL China, emphasizing the fair’s importance for learning and networking. She noted that each participation brings new insights into the market and products. The fair also provides a platform to monitor future trends, with China often leading in innovation. Essenciale had previously been nominated for technological innovation awards at SIAL in past editions (2015 and 2018), and in 2024, two of its products made it to the Top 20 out of 550 entries displayed in the fair’s innovation area. This not only validates the company’s efforts to add value to its products but also boosts its visibility in the international market.
The Impact of Agro.BR
Nivia highlighted Agro.BR‘s important role in supporting Brazilian companies, providing opportunities for matchmaking, lectures, and training on the export market. She stated, “Every time we go on a mission, we get something, some learning. I think it’s these learnings that enable us to move forward, to continue, to seek out clients and contacts, ultimately placing us in a way that we can obtain knowledge and improve our expertise.” The continuous participation in the project over the past four years has provided opportunities for the growth and internationalization of Essenciale.
Opportunities and Challenges in the Chinese Market
During the mission in China, the delegation of rural entrepreneurs explored several opportunities and challenges, in addition to learning about local market trends. They visited the Shanghai Commission of Agriculture and Rural Affairs to discuss technical-scientific cooperation and increased agricultural productivity. At XTransfer, specializing in payment solutions, initiatives to reduce export operation costs stood out. Significant indicators about the Chinese digital market were presented at the Shanghai E-commerce and Livestreaming Alliance. At Leeqee Group, proposals were discussed to promote Brazil on live-streaming shopping platforms, which yield over 2 billion yuan. Pedro Rodrigues, from CNA, highlighted, “The group presented proposals to promote Brazil on live-streaming shopping platforms in the Chinese market.”