Cypriot Halloumi at the 'Fancy Food Show' international exhibition in New York

Cyprus is participating in the 'Fancy Food Show' international exhibition in New York with two exhibition stands.

Cypriot Halloumi companies are participating as sponsors of two European programmes, 'EU Delicious and 'Cheese U' with the aim of promoting the Cypriot cheese in international markets.

The transnational programme of the European Union 'EU Delicious' promotes agricultural products in third countries. This year, Cyprus is participating, promoting Halloumi, while next to it, in the same booth, Romania is promoting jams.

The carrier from Cyprus organising this is the Panagrotic Association of Cyprus and as Tassos Papanis, General Secretary of the Association has told the Cyprus News Agency, the programme has been very successful.

"Charalambides Christis, the largest dairy company in Cyprus, which exports 40% of Halloumi abroad to 35 countries, and also the regional cheese factory, “Challoumas”  participate in this from Cyprus, he noted.

Stefanos Aloneftis, is the export manager of the Charalambides Christis company, which as he said is one of the oldest in the field of Halloumi and the largest in Cyprus with a presence in America for more than thirty years.

“The total exports of Halloumi to America from Cyprus reach about 1000 tons per year. Our company has a turnover of about 140 million, of which 55 concern exports, with the most important markets being England, Germany, America and Australia," Aloneftis told the Cyprus News Agency.

The second European programme is called 'Cheese U' and includes the promotion of products mainly from European countries.

Halloumi production company Somis participates in the exhibition in a booth together with a company from Bulgaria that promotes Bulgarian cheeses.

Evagoras Fiakkou, General Manager of Somis told the Cyprus News Agency: "We have a factory in Cyprus and milk production units. Our two units merged and bought a factory in partnership with two strong Halloumi exporters. We also have the ability to make organic Halloumi as there are not many factories that do it. We make kosher Halloumi for Jewish people and lactose-free Halloumi."

"The first time we participated in the programme was in Australia in September 2022. The second time was in an exhibition in New Jersey in November and the third is now in New York. We have participated in exhibitions in Las Vegas and in Brazil where it is a big and promising market. The company's next target is Brazil," Fiakkou said.

He also added that people have learned about Halloumi and have included it in their diet.

"Halloumi is the number one exported food product by far. Half of Halloumi quantities are exported to the Scandinavian countries. Of the 6 thousand tons in total that go annually to Sweden from Cyprus, three thousand come from us," he said.

The exhibition opened on 25 June at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan and will remain open until 27 June. It features 1200 exhibitors from the USA and 35 countries presenting the latest developments in the food and beverage sector.

(Source: CNA)