The presence of the Azorean agri-food sectors has been growing in the national distribution with the contribution of measures to promote and disseminate regional products, namely those bearing the Azores Brand seal, and the business missions to the Region.
The reinforcement of the presence of Azorean production consolidates the strategy to increase exports as implemented by the Government of the Azores, through the Vice-Presidency, in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Azores under the Azores Export 2017 Plan.
This plan, which allows direct participation of regional companies in fairs and events dedicated to the sector, and where export tends to be strengthened, has also encouraged the visit of potential importers to the Region.
In this context, representatives of Auchan Group visited the Azores, more specifically the islands of Terceira and São Miguel, where they established contacts with more than 20 regional companies.
Auchan, Portuguese owner of Jumbo hypermarkets and Pão de Açúcar supermarkets, has a chain of 33 shops nationwide.
In addition to the business mission designated as "Buyers Exchange," which allowed these entrepreneurs to know on the spot the origin of products and methods of production and manufacturing, the promotional campaign of Azorean Food Products held at El Corte Inglés supermarkets in Lisbon and Gaia is about to end today.
This initiative disseminated about 150 new products form the nine islands of the Azores to consumers at these large commercial establishments for two weeks.
In the first edition, the campaign featured 260 products, of which 140 were introduced as new references; 40 were integrated into the permanent stock of regional products. They contributed to a 30% increase in sales during the campaign and about 14% throughout 2016.
This is an important initiative that, besides highlighting the best that is produced in the Azores, effectively translates into new and real business opportunities for Azorean companies that will be increasingly closer to national consumers.