PEF to send NGO-led trade mission to the US

In September 2005, PEF, led by its Executive Director, Ms. Veronica Villavicencio, together with CITEM marked a first in Philippine trade by bringing to the USA the 1st NGO-led trade delegation at the Natural Products Expo East. This resulted to a start of a relationship with SunOpta Inc., a company that buys organic ingredients from small farming communities to be processed into  popular organic food products in the USA.

For PEF partners, this opportunity crop was realized by taro. In March 2008, a test shipment of 5 tons from Palawan (thru the Palawan NGO Network, Inc.) will be exported to New Jersey, USA with a monthly potential of 14 tons.

With this development, PEF is once again sending a trade mission to the USA, this time at Natural Products Expo West  (NPEW), one of the largest organic products Expo in the world.  NPEW will be on March 13 to 16, 2008 at the Anaheim Convention Center, California, USA. The delegation is being sent to strengthen the business opportunities  of PEF’s partners in the US market.

At the same time, SunOpta, as PEF’s business partner in community development thru sustainable agriculture, is hosting an organic processing plant tour for the delegation.  This will include visits at the following:

  • SunOpta Fruit Group - Cleugh's Frozen Foods, Buena Park, CA - Strawberry freezing and processing plant and frozen fruit retail packaging
  • Juiceheads, San Bernardino, CA-Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit processing and Juice and Smoothie bottling
  • Heartland Farms, City of Industry, CA-Milk and Juice Bottler
  • Corona College Heights, Riverside, CA-Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit packing house.

The trade mission will be led by PEF General Assembly Member, Mr. Martiniano Magdolot.  The members of the mission include Mr. Reynic Alo of MUAD-Negros Occidental PAC, Mr. Laurence Padilla of PNNI-Palawan PAC and Sharon Bisnar, PEF Development Associate for Marketing.

 

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