Food firms eye larger share in US market
İZMİR
Turkish food companies, seeking to increase their exports to the U.S to $2 billion in four years, made a strong presence at New York Summer Fancy Food Show.
Some 30 companies from Türkiye attended the fair, which took place between June 12 and June 14. The local industry now aims to increase its exports to the U.S, which surpassed the $1 billion threshold for the first time last year.
“The U.S.’ food imports grew to $175 billion last year, while the Turkish food industry’s exports to this country stood over $1 billion. We aim to increase exports to the U.S to $2 billion in the next four years,” said Jak Eskinazi from the Aegean Exporters’ Associations (EİB).
He noted that Trade Ministry and six exporters’ associations, operating under the EİB, have been conducting the Turquality project in the U.S. to promote Turkish food products since 2019.
“As part of the project, the Turkish Tastes Reference Cookbook was launched at the food fair,” Eskinazi said, adding that the book was prepared in cooperation with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and the Nevada Restaurant Association (NvRA)
The New York Summer Fancy Food Show, which returned this year after two years of hiatus due to the pandemic, hosted around 2,400 participants from 21 countries, he said.
Participants showed strong interest in a wide range of Turkish products displayed at the event, such as dried foods, canned foods, olives and olive oil, pasta products, cheese, ice cream and desserts, said Hayrettin Uçak from the EİB.
At the booths, foods prepared according to the recipes in the Turkish Tastes Reference Cookbook were served to visitors, Uçak added.
