The bags of Brazilian brands are packed to participate in the largest footwear fair in the United States, FN Platform. Taking place twice a year, in Las Vegas, the trade show features over 700 exhibitors from 30 countries. This edition is held from February 12 to 14. The participation of 21 Brazilian brands is made possible through the Brazilian Footwear, footwear exports promotion program developed by the Brazilian Footwear Industries Association (Abicalçados) in partnership with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil).

Ruisa Korndorfer Scheffel, an analyst of Abicalçados' Trade Promotion Unit, highlights that the North American market is very competitive, with world-renowned brands seeking the attention of retailers and, surely, end consumers. To develop a brand in the United States, it is necessary to devise a long-term strategy that provides for investment in trade promotion combined with initiatives to position the brand.

According to data gathered by Abicalçados, 11.33 million pairs were shipped to the United States in 2017. They generated US$ 190 million, a 14.4% decrease in volume and a 14.2% decrease in revenues in comparison with 2016. “Despite the decrease, the United States has been the main foreign market since the beginning of Brazilian footwear exports. The constant participation in FN Platform demonstrates that Brazilian brands have been evolving from a private label model, which is the manufacture of shoes with the customer's brand, to really invest in penetrating the market with their own brands. This is the main goal of the Brazilian Footwear Program,” says Scheffel. She adds that FN Platform is an excellent opportunity to meet buyers from that country, position the brand in the market, and find local partners.

In the edition that took place in February last year, Brazilian brands generated US$ 1.6 million on the spot, with an expectation to reach US$ 5.3 million in deals that began to be negotiated during the event.

The brands Rider, Grendha, Zaxy, Cartago, Ipanema, Anatomic Shoes, Moema, Schutz, Pampili, Boaonda, Shoetherapy, Carrano, Vicenza, Klin, Bibi, Piccadilly, Capelli Rossi, Werner, Amazonas, Lynd, and Fio de Ouro participate in FN Platform.

About the Brazilian Footwear:

The Brazilian Footwear is an exports promotion program developed by Abicalçados in partnership with Apex-Brasil. This program aims to increase exports of Brazilian footwear brands through development, trade promotion, and image actions focusing on the international market.

Learn more: www.brazilianfootwear.com.br |www.abicalcados.com.br/brazilianfootwear

About Apex-Brasil:

The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) works to promote Brazilian products and services abroad and to attract foreign investment into strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy. To reach these goals, Apex-Brasil carries out diverse trade promotion actions that aim to promote exports and to value Brazilian products and services abroad, such as prospective and trade missions, business networking meetings, support for the participation of Brazilian companies in important international fairs, and visits from foreign buyers and opinion formers to get to know the Brazilian manufacturing structure, among other business platforms that also aim to strengthen the Brazil brand. Learn more: www.apexbrasil.com.br