The Cheese and Dairy Products Show, an international event
We met these international exhibitors on their stands and asked them about their reasons for taking part in the Paris Cheese and Dairy Products Show. 3 main reasons emerged from their answers: increasing their international notoriety and developing exports, accessing a French market that is full of opportunities, and showcasing their artisanal expertise.
Increasing international notoriety and developing exports
All the exhibitors are sure of it: taking part in the Cheese and Dairy Products Show provides both European and international visibility. Year after year, it is the organisational excellence of the show that attracts exhibitors who are always looking for international buyers to export to.
The Quattro Portoni dairy farm, with the only Italian farmhouse cheese present at the Show, was attending its 3rd edition. The dairy farm is seeking to grow its distribution network and, after two editions of the show, has already seen that the international economic returns are excellent!
Half of Spain's exhibitors were in the ICEX pavilion. As part of the pavilion, these companies have one less level of friction: they receive support and do not have to pay for the stand. Almost 50% of the companies under the ICEX banner were already represented at the 2020 event.
The Tradifoods stand has been at 7 editions of the Show and represents several Portuguese and Spanish cheesemakers. It is not easy to work with Portuguese artisanal cheese and often small companies do not have the means to carry out commercial activities. By exhibiting their products at the internationally renowned Show, Tradifoods showcases these small businesses and helps them grow.
The Cheese and Dairy Products Show therefore gives a real boost to companies' international exports, despite the Covid-19 crisis, which had a slight impact on the number of international buyers. Exhibitors know what a valuable opportunity this international presence at the Show represents.
Accessing a French market that is full of opportunities
When they come to exhibit at the Cheese and Dairy Products Show, companies do not always have international markets in mind: often they are drawn by the French market itself, which is particularly fond of cheese.
For the Irish companies represented by the government agency Bord Bia, it is not international buyers that are targeted, but the cheese-loving French market.
Several independent cheesemakers made the same observation. Present for the first or second time at the Show in 2022, they are keen to take advantage of the Show's international crossroads and influence, but their main target is the distribution hub that is Rungis.
This is the case for the independent cheese dairies we met: the Belgian Flandrien, the Dutch Van Breukelen Kaas and the English Singletons & Co.
The French market has a strong appeal, even to companies that already export internationally. The Austrian company Alma won two Coup de Coeur awards at the 2022 Cheese and Dairy Products Show, adding to its already long list of awards. However, at the 2022 Show it was French representatives that it was looking for, in order to position itself on our cheese-loving market.
The German company Kaeskuche has a similar profile: a regular visitor to trade fairs and an international exporter, it was looking to attract French customers in 2022. The company, which was particularly recognisable by its stand decorated in traditional Bavarian style, claims that the Cheese and Dairy Show has a positive economic impact for them. Having been present at the two previous editions (2020 and 2018), it always meets new customers and sells its products to French distributors.
Showcasing artisanal expertise
Through their presence at the Cheese and Dairy Products Show, exhibitors connect with new horizons and share their common values of care for the land and animals.
The 2022 edition of the Show featured the richness of Italian cheeses: 27 exhibitors illustrated the great diversity of their terroirs.
The Italian Gourm It consortium represents 20 brands in total, 4 of which were presented at the show: Caseificio Rosso Biella, Grana D'Oro, Latteria Perenzin, and Arrigoni. These specific brands were chosen to provide a range of cheeses that were representative of the Italian terroir. In return, the brands enjoy great opportunities for international growth, and to spread Italian culture.
As for Zanetti, the company's international reputation speaks for itself.The Italian brand has been present at the show for many years but remains faithful to its family-based and artisanal origins: it provides traditional products, including the famous raw milk Mozzarella.
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