Colombian confidence grows after Re:fresh

People will be more confident about trading with Colombia following the Re:fresh Conference, said Proexport Colombia, who had a stand at the event.

The authentic Colombian display was a talking point of day, adorned with exotic fruit and flowers and surrounded by women in traditional costumes.

Astrid Duque, business and trade advisor for Proexport Colombia, said: “Having a stand at the Re:fresh conference has been a very useful experience for us, and we have had a lot of positive feedback.

“The catering and retail sector are looking for a point of difference, something new.

“Delegates commented on our stand as a nice touch to the conference, with the array of colourful fruit and flowers. They made a lot of enquiries which we are following up.”

The agricultural sector has been one of the cornerstones of the Colombian economy for many years. The displays of exportable Colombian fruit at the event included physalis, granadilla, pitahaya and yellow passion fruit.

“The Colombian coffee and the chocolate flavoured with exotic fruits were very well received. But the granadilla was the most popular fruit of the day, with many delegates eager to try it,” Duque added.

“People are more confident about trading with Colombia. There was a lot of talk about logistics, comparing sea transport and air freight, which may mean that companies are considering dealing with high volumes of produce.”