Filipino food exporters should prepare to tap the European Union’s (EU) market of around 450 million consumers, but success will require more than competitive products, according to Rhafael Antonio, business development lead for the Filipino market at Heuschen & Schrouff Oriental Food BV in the Netherlands.

Antonio said Europe should not be treated as one market because countries differ in consumer preferences, familiarity with Asian and Filipino food, regulations, retail environments and price expectations.

“And it sounds like one big opportunity but it is made up of many different countries and each country has different consumers, different preferences, different levels of familiarity — Asian or Filipino food. And beyond that, different regulations and different retail environments, different price expectations,” he said during an information session organized by the Department of Trade and Industry Export Marketing Bureau.

Focus on 800,000-strong Filipino diaspora

Antonio said many Filipino food brands focus on the roughly 800,000-strong Filipino diaspora, overlooking the larger opportunity among European consumers and other Asian communities.

He said the traditional route is for products to gain traction in ethnic and Asian stores before moving into mainstream retail. Social media, however, is creating a new path for smaller brands.

“So the new path is social media — of course, we know the power of the digital market — it creates consumer demand and then it goes mainstream. What it says is that it’s actually a big opportunity, especially for smaller brands, because you don’t need to wait; you can help create the demand if you do it the right way,” he said.

Potential categories include ready meals, easy-to-cook products, snacks and trend-driven offerings such as ube, matcha and bubble tea.

“In the Philippines, consumers already know the products and flavors we have, (but) in Europe, (for a) consumer who may not be familiar, it’s really something new for them,” Antonio said.

Products adapted to European requirements

However, exporters must adapt their products to European requirements.

“And these rules show up in many ways — it shows in regulations, in retail expectations, and consumer behavior — so the challenge is not just exporting your product. It’s adapting it to the market, but the good news is, once you understand the rules, you can work with them,” he said.

Antonio advised exporters to start with regulatory compliance, appropriate packaging and the right target market.

“Start with the right market. For the Filipino diaspora, they are familiar and have an emotional connection, making it your entry point,” he said.