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Engage Trade Africa 2023 was a 3-day program from 3 – 6 March 2023 in Cape Town. It was a targeted B2B Meeting and bespoke peer-learning program, created to enhance trade collaboration between Africa, South Africa, and the United States, serving as a dynamic platform for meaningful exchanges and growth opportunities.

Engage Trade Africa 2023 was a 3-day-long program over a 5 day period, providing high level, quality engagements for the African Regional and South African Exporters with targeted, assessed and prepared U.S. and South African Buyers.

Catalyze built the program from scratch, creating a delegation of carefully selected, pre-approved African Exporters, U.S. and South African buyers, and Trade Promotion Service Providers for a series of strategically planned event days.

SATURDAY 4 MARCH

Day 1 of the Engage Trade Africa program kicked off with a fun, engaging and educational networking day on Saturday, with an open top bus tour of Cape Town. During the tour, there were speakers sharing their unique knowledge followed by Q&A sessions and networking opportunities. Over 200 engagements and social relationships developed throughout the day.

Before lunch, South African Retailer, Samuel Kachikoti of Shingai Group, shared on “Understanding the African Market and sourcing products from the region” and U.S. Buyer, Leonardo Natale, of Red Oak Food Management, shared on “Sourcing products from Africa and current opportunities in the markets”.

The bus then stopped at the beautiful Jonkershuis Restaurant at Groot Constantia, the ultimate in wine farm tourist destinations for lunch, followed by exploration of the Groot Constantia Gardens and Museum, providing delegates with an opportunity to get to know each other informally in beautiful surroundings.

The bus tour continued, with South African Manufacturer, Sipamandla Manqele of Local Village speaking on “Opening the African market and access to a basket of quality ingredients”.

ETA Day 1 tour bus

MONDAY 6 MARCH

Day 2 started off bright and early at the Cape Town International Convention Center (CTICC). The dynamic and engaging MC, Cape Talk’s Africa Melane, steered the day from the keynote address from Jacques Swanepoel, of USAID Regional Economic Growth Office, through introductory videos, buyer presentations, two excellent moderated panels, and the carefully scheduled and choreographed B2B meetings between the attendees.

The event area was strategically laid out with each exporter having their own area for their pre-arranged B2B meetings, showcasing their products and having everything they might need to ensure the engagement was a success.

There was a clear goal of providing Exporters with buyer leads, and an in-depth understanding and knowledge of the US and South African markets. It was an absolute success with over 300 formal pre-arranged meetings happening between 50+ buyers and 30+ exporters.

ETA Africa Melane

Event Day Speakers

TUESDAY 7 MARCH

Not to be outdone, Day 3 was attended by over 120 key delegates heading out in 2 study groups on site visits to manufacturers, distributors and retailers in Cape Town; including: Shoprite, Wellness Warehouse, Rush Nutrition, Kerston Foods, and Khayelitsha Cookies.

The focus was on education, but also engagements through experiential relationship development by taking key delegates to common interest facilities.

2023 ATTENDEES

EXPORTERS

BUYERS

TPSP

ATTENDEE FEEDBACK

“We are so excited to share that Smiling Through Farming has signed a Fulfilment agreement with Purpusly, LLC from the USA as a result of the Engage Trade Africa event!”

– Gcina Dlamini, Smiling Through Farming

“Engage Trade Africa was of huge value to us at Thanthwe Farms. We are very proud to have signed a contract with Purpusly and continue to communicate with African Basket and Dynamic Intertrade.” 

– Ngabaghila Chatata, Thanthwe Farms

“We consider the Engage Trade Africa event a fruitful one! We are in ongoing communications with Dynamic Intertrade to supply seasoning, Shingai Group to supply beans, Smiling Through Farming to supply beans and rice, and Malawi Grain Traders Association to supply white maize.” 

– Benjamim Bene, Invxt agro-investimentos

“We are so glad we connected with Swaroop of BlueStar at the Engage Trade Africa event!”

– Goncalo Correia, Condor Anacardium

“We had an excellent time in Cape Town in March at Engage Trade Africa. I connected with buyers who are interested in our dried fruits, which we are very happy about.  The workshop was incredibly useful to me as I am now aware of the fresh fruit markets in South Africa and how to access them.”

– Mosito Khethisa, Likhothola Fruit Farms

“Travium Supplies is very happy to have linked up with African Basket at Engage Trade Africa!”

– Chileshe Chewe, Travium Supplies

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