Apex-Brasil is the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency, and helps Brazilian suppliers discover and do business with markets in other countries. One of the ways in which the organization accomplishes this is by coordinating and supporting the participation of its member companies in ECRM EPPS meetings, where Brazilian suppliers have the opportunity to meet with retailers and distributors from the United States as well as around the world.

Apex-Brasil has teamed up with ECRM since 2015, and has brought more than 75 member suppliers to more than two dozen ECRM EPPS meetings across categories including food retail, general merchandise, and health and beauty care.

“It's a turnkey solution, and the format is incredible,” says Fernando Spohr, Operations Manager for Apex-Brasil North America. “The meetings are pre-scheduled, and the buyers are committed to show up. The quality of the meetings with the buyers, importers and distributors is the main reason for our participation”.

"The feedback that we are getting from the companies that are participating at all the events we have done – be at food, cosmetics, houseware, wine, and health – is that this is the best possible event for one-to-one meetings with potential customers," he adds. "So we recommend using ECRM and its solutions for trade promotion organizations.

Apex-Brasil member Enova Foods
One such member company is Enova Foods, which manufactures a variety of healthy food and beverage products, and has attended five ECRM EPPS meetings through Apex-Brasil. “Based on the participation in ECRM meetings, we have expanded our business into new markets including Fiji islands, the Dominican Republic, Bahamas, and Panama,” says Aline Campos, International Sales Executive for Enova Foods. “ECRM provides us with the opportunity to meet with the buyers from the big channels. It’s a big opportunity. I start the business here and then I finish when I visit them in their countries.”