Belgium’s stable economy, which should grow by more than 1.5% in 2017, and the country’s increasing imports of certain food commodities, can make it an excellent export target for food producers looking to expand in Western Europe.

Cocoa

Cocoa producers can have a high rate of success looking for Belgian importers, as the country imports more than 96% of the cocoa beans used by its massive chocolate and confectionery sectors.

Surprisingly, the Benelux country is only the third largest importer of cocoa from the EU, with a market share close to 15%, after the Netherlands and Germany. Still, figures increased steadily since 2010, with the expansion of the port of Antwerp being a major factor.

Belgium’s main cocoa imports come from African and South American countries: Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroon, the Dominican Republic and Ecuador.

Frozen vegetables

The frozen vegetables sector can also be an attractive one for producers looking to export to Belgium, as the country’s imports are steadily growing.Belgium imports most of frozen vegetables from EU countries, mainly France, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and Poland. Outside the EU, China is the largest exporter to Belgium, with Chile, Egypt and Vietnam are gaining markets share. As Belgium is also a major vegetables producer, it mainly focuses on imports of certain products: cauliflower, broccoli, aubergines, sweet corn and peppers.

Producers looking for reliable Belgian food importers can take advantage of the fact that most business contacts understand English without problems. They should make sure that they have a competitive product with excellent quality, that is also backed up by a solid marketing image that generates trust.
You can find a large number of Belgian food importers from more than a dozen sectors in our daily updated databases.