ABIMAPI, the Brazilian Manufacturers Association of Biscuits, Pasta, Industrialized Breads & Cakes, recently held its 15th International Congress in Florianópolis, Brazil. The event brought together Brazilian bakery executives to strengthen and grow their business, as well as international retail buyers and media seeking to learn more about Brazilian bakery products.
The event focused on global bakery trends, as well as strategies to grow Brazil’s bakery industry. “We want to disseminate good management practices, integrating professionals in favor of the industry’s development,” says Claudio Zanão, executive president, ABIMAPI.
The program featured seminars from several prominent figures central to the Brazilian economy and food industry, including:
- José Roberto Mendonça de Barros, an economist and former Brazilian secretary of economic policy in the ministry of finance
- Cristiana Lôbo, a prominent Brazilian journalist
- Thalita Antony De Souza Lima, head of the food office for the Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA)
- Fred Gelli, creative director, Tátil, the creative force behind 2016 Río Olympics branding
- Fabiana Furquim, industry leader, Nielsen
- Tathiane Frezarin, business development director, Kantar WorldPanel
The event also included a trade show of Brazilian ingredient, equipment and technology suppliers, and an international business meeting featuring top bakery companies seeking export business for their baked goods, focused on meetings with international retail buyers and media. A product showcase highlighted top Brazilian bakery brands and recent innovations.
Upon conclusion of the congress, ABIMAPI representatives led a media tour of several bakery businesses in and around São Paulo, including:
- Frutos da Amazônia, a food company that works with grassroots ingredient providers in the Amazon to develop a wide range of products, including cookies and cakes
- Roots to Go, a vertically organized root vegetable chip producer
- Dauper, a major producer of cookies, with strategic partnerships with The Hershey Co., General Mills, Mondelēz and Nestlé, among others
- Selmi, a major producer of cookies, cakes, snack cakes and other products
- Bauducco, a major producer of cookies, snack cakes and other baked goods, and the largest baker of panettone breads in the world
While traditional, indulgent bakery products are certainly mainstream in Brazil, the Brazilian bakery industry is notable for its strong use better-for-you whole grains in cookies, cakes, snack cakes and other baked goods. Gluten-free is a rising niche—and bakeries regularly develop such products to also be lactose-free. Healthy snacking in general is on the rise in Brazil.
One of the largest food associations in Brazil, ABIMAPI works to strengthen the market for cookies, pasta, bread and cake across the country and internationally. For more information about ABIMAPI and the Brazilian baking industry, visit www.abimapi.com.br.
