IRVINE - The West Mediterranean Exporters' Association (aka BAIB) will attend the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco on Jan. 14 as part of a tour to develop business ties with California, announced Trelodex. The food cluster's mission is to establish connections and create trade opportunities during the visit, which runs through Jan. 17.
The group consists of 25 individuals representing 14 companies from the food industry. The itinerary includes Fresno, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, with visits to production facilities, local authorities, and retail stores. The delegation comes from Antalya, a major tourism and agricultural center in southwest Turkey.
"We want to research California's business environment and learn about agricultural production, sales and distribution," said Hakkı Bahar, BAIB's Chairman. "We hope this trip will generate exciting opportunities for business."
In San Francisco, the group will meet with the California Milk Advisory Board and representatives of several produce markets. On Jan. 15, it will head to Fresno for meetings with the Fresno Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Development Corporation and the Farm Bureau. The day will include an industry reception.
The tour culminates in LA with visits to wholesalers, produce markets and supermarkets.
The delegation's main products of interest are:
- Apricots, cherries, grapes, pomegranates, figs
- Mushrooms
- Dried fruits
- Fruit concentrates
- Jams and canned fruits
- Dairy products
- Fish
BAIB is a semi-governmental organization that coordinates relations with other associations. BAIB helps exporters find new markets, while providing training and various types of support.
Antalya is one of Turkey's leading producers of tomato, citrus, and other vegetables and fruits. Turkey in turn, is one of the main fresh fruit and vegetable suppliers to Eastern Europe and the Middle East and is always seeking new markets. The country's complex logistics infrastructure and the availability of daily flights to cities around the world are key to its success as a major exporter of fresh produce.
"In the first 11 months of 2018, Turkey exported more than 2 Billion USD of fresh fruits," said Bahar. "Turkish exporters are agile business people who adapt easily to local market conditions and compliance requirements."