HAKKI GURBUZ, COMMERCIAL MANAGER, ORKA AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS:
There were less visitor in the Hail where Turkish companies are located than the earlier edition of Sial Paris 2012, especially fram Islamic countries due to the Eid’ al-adha. However there were more visitors than we expected to our company and to our sector. I think that 2013 will be more promising for the industry worldwide.
RAVIKA:
Sial was a great organization offering new opportunities for new businesses and new powerful partners. Participation and visitors were high. Next year it seems to be more profitable for Turkish companies.
CELAL SOYLER, ENTEGRE FOOD:
Participation in the fair was less than earlier versions. The event was rather dull this year. There were more sellers than buyers.
MERT ALTINKILIC, GEXPORT GENERAL MANAGER, EKSPER FOOD MARKETING:
For our company, the exporter of Yildiz Holding Food product categories, 2012 was a highly prafitable period when we analyzed our category-based target markets, and evaluated our present distributors and markets. Sial Paris 2012 food fair has been satisfactory for us. It met most of our expectations and made us very happy. We got the chance of representing and introducing our Eksper Food Co. at best. We evaluated both the year 2012 and the years beyond with our present distributors. We met with our potential customers coming from our target markets that we aim to increase our presence. We signed new contracts with new distributors. We observed latest developments in our industry. In short, it was an efficient and profıtable organization for us. I think that the companies who adapt themselves fast to the changes in the world and focused on their businesses will increase their exports in 2012 as well as this year. Turkish food products are preferred in abroad. We can watch closely our target markets, namely the Middle East, the Gulf and Africa. For companies who are operating in Turkish food industry, the year 2013 will be a year of increasing our competitive power, reducing costs and improving qualities, all are necessary for sustainable growth. These are especially important in developed markets. Highly efficient retailers and demanding consumers are also helpful in our effort to improve our competitive position in these countries. Some of the food producing companies in Turkey may think more about foreign direct investments or joint venture opportunities in developed countries in 2013.
ERAY YENER, EXPORT MANAGER, KAVUKCU FLOUR MILLS:
The fair was more stabile than the years before. I thinktiming was the problem. If there will be no draught in crops I expect a great boom in 2013.
ERMAN KALE, KALE FLOUR:
Sial 2012 performed well for our company because we reached our target customers and countries. To me, 2013 will be a better year than 2012 because Turkish food industry has gained a respectful place in the world and this emerging trend will continue.
CEM DARENDELI, OZDOYURAN FOOD:
Sial Paris was very suffîcient for us. We had the opportunity to meet new customers from different regions especially from Africa. I assume we can have good partnerships with African customers and Africa can be a very good market for Turkey especially for the Turkish food Sector. Currently Africa (Ali African countries import 6 billion $ in all products and Turkey’s export is like 15 billion $ which is less than %3. We must increase our exports to Africa and Turkish government should be more aggressive to African countries.
Regarding the Turkish food sector, 2012 was not very suffîcient due to high prices in raw materials especially the wheat prices. Therefore, it affected our exports in 2012 but we are very positive to increase our exports in 2013 if the wheat prices come down to a reasonable level. We will be more aggressive in Africa and our goal is to make more business trips to African countries. Hopefully, Turkish govemment can be more supportive to Turkish companies who aim to export more products to Africa.
SULEYMAN ERDOGAN, FOREIGN TRADE MANAGER, KRISTAL KOLA:
Sial Paris 2012 was a successful trade event for us. We made around 150 meetings in the fair. There were around 500 exhibitors in the same category with us. We are still getting feedback from companies which we met in Sial 2012. Despite the bad date timing of fair, we find this amount of participation successful and we are planning to get our place in the next event.
2013 will be another successful year for the Turkish food sector because interest to Turkish companies grows. We saw this interest in the last Sial fair also. Companies from other countries want to develop their relations with Turkish companies more because of Turkey’s current developing popularity around the world. As we see, for most companies, working with a Turkish partner is a pride.
HANDAN ILHAN, MEMISLER GROUP:
Memisler Group, which is active in business field of grains-pulses and mineral water, participated in SIAL 2012 . Sial exhibition is considered one of the world’s most important 10 largest food fairs. Especially, it is considered to be the meeting point of the food sector. In all countries of all continents, Sial has a signifıcant share in the promotion of products and companies abroad. 2012 SIAL Fair was not lively as previous years. But our products especially pulses attracted the interest of visitors coming from different countries. And product displays have been made successfully. Our next strategy will be developed to introduce our products in the countries with different activities.
ISMAIL DERVISOGLU, DERVISOGLU AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS:
We regularly participate in Sial Food Fair. The number of visitors compared to the previous fairs was lower this year. As exhibitors, we have felt the impact of the crisis in Europe and the Arab Spring. On the other hand, the strictness of France to issue visas was another reason. Sial loses blood against Anuga. The food sector is the last sector which can be affected by the crisis. From this perspective we are lucky. 2013 appears not to be different from 2012. We hope a new crisis will not hit our country.
A. SINAN ATIK, DOST HAZELNUT:
The fair was much below our expectations from the standpoint of visitor flood. We had more visitors in 2010. Still, we have had the opportunity of meeting with our existing customers and making plans for the future.
When we look at next year from the perspective of our hazelnut sector, I can say that the Turkish hazelnut had a good year in 2012 especially for its very reasonable prices. The export figures of the first 2 months of the current year support this idea.
