South African agro-processors to showcase at world’s largest food trade fair in Germany

Thirty South African agro-processing companies will showcase their products at the five-day Anuga International Trade Fair in Cologne, Germany in a bid to capture the attention of global food importers.

Anuga, the world’s largest and most influential food and beverage fair, is renowned for drawing international distributors, retailers, importers, and wholesalers.

The 2023 edition attracted more than 7 900 exhibitors from 118 countries and over 140 000 trade visitors from 200 nations. The 2025 fair will highlight the balance between economic prosperity and environmental protection.

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) is enabling South Africa’s participation through its Export Marketing and Investment Assistance (EMIA) Scheme, which is designed to facilitate entry of local products and services into new global markets.

Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Zuko Godlimpi, said the initiative forms part of government’s broader export diversification drive.

“This is part of the South Africa’s government’s contribution towards ensuring that export-led industrialisation aimed at spurring economic growth in the country is stimulated. Our total efforts are aimed at increasing South Africa’s capacity for exporting diversified and value-added goods and services to various global markets,” Godlimpi said.

He stressed that the Anuga platform offers South African companies the chance to cement their presence in Europe and beyond, while also raising global awareness of local products.

“Assisting companies to participate in Anuga and showcase their proudly South African products to the world is part of the dtic’s efforts to promote exports of South African value-added goods globally. It also supports efforts to diversify export markets by seeking alternatives for South African products, particularly in light of challenges such as United States tariffs,” he said.

Godlimpi added that Anuga, running from 4 to 8 October, would give participating companies a competitive edge in positioning themselves as trusted suppliers of packaged and processed food products.

“It offers a perfect platform to promote South Africa’s agro-processing industry internationally in order to consolidate and establish market presence of South African products in Europe and the rest of the world,” he concluded.

The participation underscores South Africa’s determination to expand its footprint in the global agro-processing value chain while driving inclusive economic growth through export-led strategies.

BUSINESS REPORT