Belgian products promoted in Macau

An event showcasing Belgian food and beverage products took place Monday night in the Macau University of Science and Technology’s (MUST) training restaurant, The Seasons.
Nine suppliers exhibited products in areas ranging from chocolate and desserts to beers and potato processing products. The event, “A Taste of Belgium,” was co-organized by the Macau Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) and the Consulate General of Belgium in Hong Kong and Macau, with the main aim of driving local interest in the supplies.
Michèle Deneffe, the Consul General of Belgium in Hong Kong and Macau, and Gloria Batalha Ung, executive director of IPIM, both attended the event.
“The bilateral relations between Belgium and Macau are excellent and, in the context of the European Union, Belgium has always been a strong supporter of the deepening of the EU relationship with Macau,” said the Consul.
“In the field of trade and economy, some Belgian products such as chocolate, beers and waffles are already well-known in Macau,” said Deneffe.
“However we think that more could be done in the context of the current diversification process of the Macau economy, which will provide new opportunities […] namely in the booming hospitality industry and food and beverages sector,” she added.

Gloria Batalha (left) and Michèle Deneffe

One of the exhibiting companies on Monday night was Puratos, a supplier of bakery and confectionery ingredients, which has expanded to 100 different countries since its establishment in 1919.
Ken Man, sales manager for the company’s Hong Kong arm, explained to the Times: “We want to build our brand because we were previously quite low-key in Hong Kong and Macau.”
“We are also here to support the country of Belgium [by showcasing] Belgian quality and craftsmanship in chocolate and other ingredients,” added Ken.
“Macau is […] the ideal platform to introduce Belgian products to local customers and tourists from China and the rest of Asia,” said IPIM executive director Ung, addressing event attendees.
“In the first quarter of 2016, the bilateral trade between the two [Belgium and Macau] increased to USD4.3 million from USD3 million in the same period of 2014, covering both goods and services.”
“In the future, we look forward to expanding our bilateral collaboration in trade, retail and the service sectors,” she added.
Some of the exhibiting companies were business-to-
business providers seeking to market their Belgian products to local restaurants and distributors, while others targeted consumers.
According to Consul General Deneffe, there are around 25 Belgians in Macau who are active in various sectors; namely hotels and restaurants, food and beverage, water sanitation, and education.