Bangladeshi foods eye bigger EU market
Bangladeshi food products have significant potential to expand their presence in the European market, provided exporters consistently meet international quality standards, cultivate long-term business relationships and strengthen regular market engagement, according to Forqan Haider Chowdhury, Ambassador and Adviser to United Dutch Exporters (Unidex).
Chowdhury, a Belgian businessman of Bangladeshi origin, said the European market for Bangladeshi food products is already worth hundreds of crores of taka annually and demand is expected to continue rising if exporters can maintain quality and reliability.
“Bangladeshi food products have a bright future in Europe. If exporters can ensure international standards and build lasting confidence with buyers, the market will continue to expand,“ he said.
From a small start to a European distribution network
Chowdhury said Unidex, a Netherlands-based international food importing and distribution company, was founded in 1989 by Roland Janssen as a small business.
“What began with a fax machine in a bedroom has grown into one of Europe’s largest ethnic food distribution networks,” he said.
Janssen came from a family engaged in the spice trade. His father imported bay leaves, cumin, turmeric, chillies and other spices from India and supplied them to Suriname, Curaçao and other Dutch territories through the Netherlands. Building on that experience, Unidex gradually developed to serve the growing demand for home-country food products among immigrant communities across Europe.
From its inception, the company has operated in two key segments: the ethnic food market, supplying grocery stores and specialist retailers catering to different communities, and the mainstream retail sector, distributing international food products through major supermarket chains.
Expanding Bangladeshi exports
Chowdhury said he first met Unidex founder Roland Janssen in the late 1990s and joined the company as Key Account Manager (Europe) in October 2007, after serving as chief executive of another multinational company. He was later promoted to Director of Sales in recognition of his performance.
“The CEO has given me full freedom to make business decisions, and that trust continues today,” he said. “This culture of mutual confidence has played an important role in expanding into new markets and building long-term business partnerships.“
Today, Unidex sources dry foods, beverages and frozen food products from numerous countries and distributes them across Europe through a network stretching from Helsinki to Malta.
The company imports palm oil, palm cream, cassava and various types of flour from Ghana, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal, as well as salted fish (bacalao) from Norway and tilapia from China for European consumers.
Chowdhury said he has played a key role in introducing products from Bangladeshi companies, including Pran, BD Food, Ifad and Danish, to European markets through Unidex. The company also regularly imports frozen fish, snacks and a range of other food products from Bangladesh.
According to him, these products are now reaching not only Asian consumers but also Arab, African and European customers across the continent.
Building new opportunities
To identify new suppliers, Chowdhury regularly attends leading international food exhibitions, including Gulfood in Dubai, Anuga in Germany, SIAL in France and THAIFEX in Thailand.
He said he makes a point of visiting the Bangladesh Pavilion at these events to establish contacts with promising Bangladeshi exporters.
Recently, Unidex merged with the Europe-based Asian Food Group, creating a larger business group.
According to Chowdhury, the merger has significantly strengthened the company’s purchasing power, enhanced its supply chain and expanded its ability to serve markets across Europe.
He said the enlarged business has also created fresh opportunities for food producers from Bangladesh and other countries seeking access to European consumers.
Focus on quality and trust
Referring to a recent courtesy meeting with Bangladesh’s Commerce Minister, Chowdhury said they discussed ways to increase exports of Bangladeshi food and agricultural products by drawing on European market experience. He added that the minister’s remarks reflected the positive approach of the current elected government towards export promotion.
Emphasising the importance of relationships in international trade, Chowdhury said successful business depends on more than contracts and financial transactions.
“Business is not only about contracts or financial transactions,“ he said. “Long-term business relationships are built on mutual respect, honesty and trust.“
He added that if Bangladesh continues to uphold international quality standards while strengthening confidence among overseas buyers, the country’s food products will enjoy even greater opportunities in the European market.
