Costa Rica showcases the food it has to offer at the industry's most important trade fair in the Middle East

Gulfood International Trade Fair Dubai 2022 

• Costa Rican company Tertulia Brugge was the winner at the Gulfood Innovation Awards.
• This is Costa Rica's seventh appearance at the trade fair. 
• The event welcomes more than 110 exhibitors and 60,000 visitors from 162 countries. 

SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, Feb. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- From February 13 to 17, the Foreign Trade Corporation of Costa Rica (PROCOMER) and eight national food industry companies are making their seventh appearance at the food industry's most important trade fair in the Middle East: Gulfood Dubai 2022.

This year the fair is bringing together over 60 thousand visitors and more than 110 exhibitors from 162 countries. Among the national products featured include specialty coffee, dried fruit, and organic sugar.

Pedro Beirute Prada, CEO of PROCOMER, confirmed that the event marks an opportunity to use the platform as a return to in-person events to promote the name of Costa Rica as a country supplying certified and high-quality products to the whole world.

"Fairs are a chance to showcase Costa Rican produce to the world.  Positioning our products in places like this is part of Costa Rica's ongoing diversification strategy and, at present, it allows us to reach over 150 markets with innovative and high-quality products," acknowledged Beirute.

Andrés Valenciano, Minister for Foreign Trade and Chairman of PROCOMER's Board of Directors, maintained that these kinds of places are crucial for the export products that Costa Rica is promoting on the international stage, with high-added value for both the industry and the end consumer.

"Our objective is to consolidate Costa Rica's market presence and position Costa Rican exporters as a business alternative in the Middle East. This is a great opportunity for exporters to get to know business culture and market dynamics, to establish new contacts with potential buyers and gain access to trends in products and presentations," the minister and board chairman added.

Costa Rican companies among the most innovative in the world 

Tertulia Brugge, one of the participating companies from the Costa Rican delegation, was a winner at the Gulfood Innovation Awards. In 11 different categories, these awards recognize the most innovative products in the world. 

The company won in the category "Best packaging design impact" for its product drip coffee. This is the second time that the company has received this award.

"This award makes us extremely excited and proud. It is undoubtedly a demanding market, and the name Costa Rica means a country with ideas and sustainable products that stand out. And being internationally recognized really motivates us to continue striving forward," said Eugenia Sánchez, Sales Manager at Tertulia Brugge.

The jury highlighted the innovative characteristics of the product, its convenient preparation, and the freshness and quality of the coffee. 

The company, Biocafé Oro Tarrazú S.A., was nominated in the category Most Innovative Drink for its product Innovation Cinnamon Coffee. 

"This product is the result of a more than 18-year endeavor. It shows that we are adapting to the changes and demands of both our customers and the markets that are increasingly more demanding in terms of innovative products. We hope to position our brand and the country by showing the production quality of Costa Rica," said Facundo Madrigal, Export Manager of the company.