The Philippines is now looking into the State of Alaska as its
next venue for promoting food products. It has successfully
expanded its ethnic market and penetrated the mainstream market
in California and the Pacific Northwest with its food missions
held in the last two years.
Special Trade Representative Ma. Roseni Alvero recently announced
the holding of the “Philippine In-Store Promotion Program”
to be held on August 5-6, 2006 at the New Sagaya Markets located
in Anchorage, Alaska. The New Sagaya Markets is one of the leading
and most popular mainstream food outlets that carries the widest
range of ethnic foods in Anchorage, Alaska.
Three (3) Filipino food importers/distributors - B.F.Imports,
Camtrade Enterprises, and Marigold Corp. (Mamasita)- will be
showcasing their featured products ranging from juices, snack
foods, condiments and other processed canned foods with such
Philippine known brands as “Mama Sita”, “Boy
Bawang”, “Cool Choice”, etc. Food tasting
will be held in the New Sagaya markets where their products
will also be offered for sale at special introductory prices.
Food/trade buyers will be able to sample and explore the uses
of these various food products that can be adapted by other
ethnic and mainstream markets.
Philippine-made food products used to be marketed only in Filipino
stores, mostly in areas largely populated by Filipinos in California,
namely Los Angeles and San Francisco. Today, leading mainstream
supermarkets like Safeway, Albertson’s, Costco and other
oriental markets have carried Philippine-made food products
in their shelves which contributed to their clientele’s
increased awareness for these product. It also created a niche
in their internationally accepted Asian products.
The Philippines exports almost US$500 million annually to the
United States consisting mostly of processed foods. The State
of Alaska is home to an estimated 22,000 Filipino-Americans,
half of which resides in Anchorage.
