Positive mood follows Couromoda
While total visitor numbers at the January edition of Couromoda fell 10% to 65,000, there is still optimism within the Brazilian leather, footwear and sporting goods sectors.
President and founder of Couromoda, Francisco Dos Santos, claims significant orders have been placed, totalling approximately R$ 6 billion (US$ 2.6 billion). Mr Dos Santos explained that sales were mainly received from within the domestic market and in neighbouring countries. “We hosted buyers from all over Brazil and from 64 countries, predominantly from Latin America, especially Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, Peru, Mexico and others. It is a fact that Europeans and North Americans came in lesser number, due to the dramatic economic and financial crisis those markets are undergoing. We therefore anticipate difficult times in the foreign trade, as—even selling to more than 140 countries in the world—US and Europe continue to be Brazilian footwear major exports destination.”
According to Pedro Bartelle, marketing director of the Vulcabrás/Azaléia Group, it sold a million pairs of Azaléia, AZ, Dijean, Funny, Olympikus, OLK and Reebok shoes during the fair. The company welcomed 10,000 visitors to its booth during the four-day event, up 25% over last edition. According to Mr Bartelle: “This indicated that buyers are optimistic in relation to the market.”
The Okean brand recorded a 100% sales increase over 2008. Director, Alan Ermel, said: “Our booth was packed every day, and we hosted many more visits than last year. Besides all the countries where we already export in Latin America, Europe, United States, we had also buyers from the United Arab Emirates."
The next edition will take place January 18-21 in São Paulo.
