By Jumah Kakomo
Food and beverages manufacturers have raised concerns over the escalating counterfeit products on the market which they assert have greatly affected the economy of Uganda.
The concern was expressed on Thursday by Patrick Nsubuga ahead of the East Africa Food and Beverages Expo.
The East African beverage expo is a three days conference and exhibition scheduled for 29th-31st August at old Kampala senior secondary playgrounds, Kampala-Uganda under the theme “Elevating a sustainable food and beverages industry through empowering innovation and enabling transformation”.
Nsubuga who is also the expo’s organizer revealed that the phenomenon of counterfeiting has increasingly become an area of interest by academicians in the last three decades. Adding that according to Trade-related Aspects on Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs), counterfeit goods are those that are sold without authorization and cannot be distinguished from the trademark-registered goods in various aspects such as design, logo, trademark, and company name.
Counterfeiting is considered a social problem as it affects consumer confidence in original products and destroys brand equity. It is also considered an economic problem as it puts a company at risk of future investment in research and development due to unfair competition with counterfeited products present in the market and losses in revenues. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), which is responsible for the promotion of the protection of intellectual property throughout the world, estimates counterfeiting is costing the global economy more than US$100 billion a year.
Now Nsubuga wants the government to always liaise with manufacturers to fight against this problem which he says has deprived the economy of Uganda.
According to Nsubuga, during the expo, they expect over 5,000 attendees, 1,000 products showcase, 300 global and regional exhibitors, 150 industry professionals, 50 industry leading speakers, 20 international countries among others.
Prossy Nakato, a marketing officer of Mini bakeries Uganda limited says she is eager to be part of this expo because trade shows start with the possibility ofgaining new clients and customersbut don’t end there.
“Trade shows provide opportunities to make new business contacts, as well as new business deals, and can also provide you with a wealth of industry knowledge and experience,” Prossy stated.
Geoffrey Sserugga Matovu, marketing manager of Psalms (Sumz) who is also expected to be among the exhibitors said the ultimate goal of exhibiting at a trade show is to gain brand exposure to support sales for business growth adding thatthe primary purpose of a trade show is to provide businesses with a platform to showcase their offerings, there are many more advantages to exhibiting at a trade show.
Timothy Kikembol Programme Manager Stabex disclosed that Trade shows are a good place to launch a new startup or product line and raise any brand’s profile. They can also help a person get a handle on his or her competition and network with like-minded people. Live shows are important because they let you meet your audience face-to-face and develop customer relationships.
Immaculate Shantel, an ambassador of Bella Wine, highlighted that trade shows are important because they offer a person a platform to market to the customers and then sell the product to those exact same customers. Even though marketing is typically a way to direct the customer to the store or website, a good majority of the sales process can be done right there on the trade show floor.
Nsubuga Patrick said the objectives of the expo are to attract new investments to the East Africa community from new entrants to the market, to provide a sustainable development framework for the food and beverage industry among others.
