Chile holds 'Honey Week' as it Steps up Market Penetration in the UAE, Middle East

Branded Chilean honey has been making inroads to the regional market riding on its nutrition value and anti-bacterial benefit

Dubai, December 12, 2021:  The Republic of Chile is holding a 'Honey Week’ in the UAE starting December 11, 2021, as part of the Latin American country’s participation at the Expo 2020 Dubai, with a host of companies highlighting their branded honey products throughout the week.

In a statement, Chile Pavilion spokespersons said the activity has been conceived in the backdrop of the increasing acceptance and presence of the country’s honey products in the UAE market, as well as in other parts of the Gulf and Middle Eastern countries.

“Over the last few years, there has been a marked shift in branded Chilean organic honey products foraying into the UAE and other markets in the region. This is a shift from the earlier traditional   demand for bulk imports of honey from Chile. It is a welcome development as well since it adds value to our market offers and allows us to showcase the eclectic varieties of honey products Chile has to offer, facilitating a variety of choice for consumers,” said Felipe Repetto, Director General at Chile Pavilion Expo 2020. 

In the UAE, some of the honey available is certified Active Patagonia Factor (APF), a scientific technology that guarantees the antibacterial power of honey native to Chilean Patagonia, offering a product that can be considered a superfood with a unique experience.

As part of the 'Honey Week,’ Chile pavilion held an on-site sampling session on December 11, 2021, offering visitors to the Expo an opportunity to taste different varieties of honey from the Latin American country. The sampling session also included briefing sessions on the honey production in Chile, phytosanitary controls as well as sharing of a beekeeper’s experience.

“The idea is to present a comprehensive picture of our honey production and to highlight Chilean honey’s natural benefits to a global audience at the Expo 2020 to support honey entrepreneurs looking at higher market penetration,” added Repetto.

Chile is known for its varied offer of honeys with different characteristics - from light tones to darker honeys, from milder flavours to those with greater intensity and sweetness and with soft floral aromas, as well as with woody flavours.

Repetto said the honeys available in the UAE are fractionated and in terms of floral origin, the country exports polyfloral and monofloral honeys such as ulmo honey, quillay honey, among others, apart from traditional and organic honeys.

“From the extraction of the honey from the hives to the packaging, extensive care is taken to ensure food safety and traceability so that best-in-class quality benchmarks are maintained,” said Repetto, adding that entities such as Register of Beekeepers of Honey for Export (RAMEX), which is managed by the Agriculture and Livestock Service (SAG), the specialized health agency of the Chilean Ministry of Agriculture, guarantees Chilean honey’s quality.

Chile has around 8,770 beekeepers with approximately 1,240,000 hives. Beekeeping activity is carried out throughout the country, with 99% of apiaries concentrated in the northern, central and southern regions of Chile (from Coquimbo to Los Lagos).