At the Brazil SuperFoods Summit, an event that brought together exporters and importers of beans, pulses, and special crops, ApexBrasil and IBRAFE announced a new R$3.5 million partnership for the sector’s internationalization.
By 2030, the global consumption of protein alternatives to meat is expected to grow substantially. Beans, lentils, chickpeas, and sesame seeds, known as “superfoods” due to their nutrient richness, will increasingly play a leading role in diets worldwide. According to Bloomberg, the market for these products could reach $162 billion by the end of the decade.
To explore this potential, sector exporters and importers gathered in Brasília for the second edition of the Brazil SuperFoods Summit, organized by the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) and the Brazilian Institute of Beans and Pulses (IBRAFE).
The event took place on April 2 and 3 in Brasília, attracting representatives from 12 countries to discuss Brazil’s future as a supplier of these superfoods. ApexBrasil’s president, Jorge Viana, and IBRAFE’s president, Marcelo Lüders, used the opportunity to formalize a new agreement between the entities to promote the sector’s internationalization, with a duration of 24 months and funding of R$3.5 million (R$1.76 million from each entity).
Brazil is the only country with three bean harvests per year. According to FAO, in 2022, Brazil was the world’s second-largest producer of dry beans, with 2.8 million tons, second only to India. Despite this, there are high expectations for growth in both production and export of surpluses, as international sales in 2023 were $127 million, below the record $212 million in 2021.
“When we establish agreements, foreign trade grows. Currently, we are 500,000 tons [in bean production] behind our previous peak, so there is much room for growth. We need to explore all this extraordinary potential,” emphasized Viana.
The partnership aims to expand the export market for Brazilian pulses and special crops, from traditional beans to innovative sesame. The project’s goal for 2025 is for the companies involved to reach $260 million in sector exports. To achieve this, initiatives include fairs and missions, especially in Asia, the main consumer market for these products, and events in Brazil with international buyers.
“This partnership has allowed us to progress by showcasing to the world what we can produce in Brazil. We now have the opportunity to bring together exporters who make the project happen with ApexBrasil. It is an important investment that is taking the marketing of beans and knowledge of beans to all corners of the world,” celebrated Lüders.
Bimal Kothar, chairman of India’s pulses and grains association, attended the Summit to seek Brazilian suppliers to meet India’s consumption demands. According to him, India is the world’s largest consumer of pulses, reaching 40 million tons per year in beans, peas, lentils, and other special crops. In 2023, total imports of these products were around 4 million tons.
“If Brazilian farmers produce more pulses, they will have a market in India. The value could reach over $1 billion, as India can easily import more than 1.5 million tons from Brazil. This is already a significant amount, and there will be even more opportunities in the future because consumption is growing. Income levels in India are increasing. We will be the third-largest economy in the world by 2030, with a population of 1.4 billion, so we will need a lot of food,” explained Kothar.
Cesar Bruns, a broker at Samba Foods, a company in the sector that has been exporting for over 16 years, also attended the event to connect with international buyers. With a portfolio that includes a wide variety of pulses and special crops such as beans, popcorn, sesame, and sunflower seeds, SambaFoods already exports to 35 markets and expects to continue opening markets.
According to Bruns, the company’s strategy is to actively participate in international fairs to close deals with importers worldwide. “I participate in the main fairs in the world, with ApexBrasil, MAPA,” he explained, citing major events such as Anuga, SIAL, and Gulfood. “This year, the expectation is high because we have come from two, three years of downturn, not only in Brazil but worldwide, and the expectation is very good, especially for beans and sesame production,” he celebrated.
