Colombia - XOCOART 2017

On 21, 22 and 23 March, the XOCOART chocolate and cake show was held at the Sheraton Hotel in Bogota, in association with the Minister of Commerce, ProColombia, Bogota Chamber of Commerce and the Belgian Embassy. The new trends, market demand, networking and promotion of the sector on the Colombian market were the main themes of this second edition. Above all, the show wanted to generate more opportunities in a sector which continues to be under-developed in Colombia, and provide the tools needed by entrepreneurs in the sector in order to make a success of their projects.

The show's three days started with a symposium about entrepreneurship and innovation for professionals from the sector. For the occasion, Mr Verdin, the manager of the Galler Belgian stores, gave a talk about the subtle harmony between wine and chocolate. Over the next two days, workshops by professionals were organised, as well as a trade show. Serge Thiry, a Belgian chocolate maker and entrepreneur who lives in Bogota, was a great hit with the public with his classes on great chocolate classics. Other participants who also made a mark include the Spanish chocolate maker, David Pallàs, the French woman Chloé Doutre-Roussel and the Venezuelan Maria Fernanda Di Giacobbe, who offered creative chocolate or cake workshops.

The exhibition room comprised 28 stands, with large and small brands represented. The Belgian Embassy, this year's guest country, had a 30-sqm stand. Belgian cake companies with a presence on the Colombian market could be found on the stand, such as: Avieta (Belgofre), Couplet Sugar (Monsieur Waffle), Chocolat Joséphine (Original Vagabonds), Galler (Dulces Belgas) and Serge Thiry.

To close the event, a cocktail reception was hosted at the residence of the Belgian Ambassador, His Excellency Jeroen Cooreman, where guests were able to discover the pairing of Belgian chocolates and national spirits explained by Mr Verdin.

A wonderful performance for our Belgian companies, which are strengthening their presence on the Colombian market.

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