New Macau market to help products from Portuguese-speaking countries overcome crisis

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New Macau market to help products from Portuguese-speaking countries overcome crisis

3:03 CAT | 31 Aug 2022

File photo: Lusa

Macau will host the first edition of the Lusophone Market over the weekend, to promote 24 companies that sell products from Portuguese-speaking countries, one of the organizers told Lusa yesterday (Tuesday).

Heiman Sou said that the event will feature eight exhibitors of food products, including wine, olive oil and honey from Portugal, coffee from East Timor, sea salt from Angola and cashew from Mozambique.

The market will also have 16 exhibitors of other products, including ceramics, handicrafts, soaps, fragrances and decoration, added the general director of Sardinia Macau, a company that also resells Portuguese products in Hong Kong and mainland China.

In addition to free entry for visitors, participation in the event, at the Holy House of Mercy Albergue, is also free for exhibitors.

The objective is to “support” companies that sell products from Portuguese-speaking countries “to increase their sales and at the same time restore consumer optimism”, underlined the organization of the Lusophone Market.

“The recent pandemic outbreak has created an unprecedented challenge for all companies in Macau, especially small and medium-sized enterprises,” the organization added in a statement.

From June 18, Macau faced the worst outbreak of covid-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, leading to a drop of 98.8 per cent in annual terms in the number of visitors in July, strongly affecting the region’s economy, which is dependent on tourism.

The financial situation became “pretty bad, they’re on a tightrope”, Asai Cheung, founding partner of PRRC Portuguese Restaurants & Retail Concepts, which operates several Portuguese restaurants and stores, told Lusa.

This year, Beijing’s zero-case policy has led to the imposition of lockdowns in several cities, including the financial capital Shanghai, and “harming” importers of Portuguese-speaking products, said Heiman Sou.

“We had to bet on promoting our products in different cities in mainland China”, added the businessman.

The Lusophone Market has the support of the Consulate General of Portugal in Macau and Hong Kong, the Portuguese Bookstore in Macau and the Macau Trade and Investment Promotion Institute.

The first edition has residents as a priority, but Heiman Sou hopes that the event will become “a tourist attraction in the future”, with “diverse cultural shows and more exhibitors”.

“Everything really depends on the response of exhibitors and visitors. We hope to organize [the Lusophone Market] at least twice a year or even once a quarter,” added the businessman.

Another future goal is to expand the event beyond the Holy House of Mercy Hostel, said Asai Cheung.

The businessman also wants to launch other events related to the kitchen, including a festival of Lusophone gastronomy.

Source: Lusa