Pharma Nectar, a Brazilian Company, Pitches Its Honey Overseas

Brazilian company Pharma Nectar exports propolis, honey and herbal
extracts from Brazilian medicinal plants to more than 20 countries,
mainly in Asia and Europe. They have a showroom in the city of Belo Horizonte, capital of the
state of Minas Gerais, and a laboratory in the city of Caeté, in the
interior of the state.

In order to ensure the brand’s growth in the foreign market, the
company invests in participation in international trade fairs such as
Expo West, the leading exhibition of organic and natural products in
the United States which opens the trade fair season in the United States market.

The history of Pharma Nectar began in 1980 with the establishment of Apiário Néctar (Nectar Apiary). In 1990, with the
foundation of Néctar Farmacêutica (Nectar Pharmaceutics), the company
gained international reach, expanded its operations to include
biotechnology, herbal medication and prescription pharmacy.

With foreign market expansion plans for 2009, the company invests in
seeking new markets. According to company owner José Alexandre Abreu,
the organization, which already has many Muslim customers in Malaysia,
has decided to seek halal certification, which should be obtained still
in the first half of 2009.

“We realized that we have many products that are fit for the Arab
market. We are well attuned to the religious and cultural issues of the
region, and have already developed products that are alcohol-free and
contain no ingredients of animal origin,” ensures Abreu.

Presently, the flagship of foreign sales – which answer to more than
60% of company revenues – is the Cytopropolis, which bees collect from
a plant typical of the state of Minas Gerais, the Baccharis
dracunculifolia. According to Abreu, the product is prescribed by
doctors and nutritionists for people in need of immunostimulation and
those with chronic degenerative diseases.

“The market is growing rapidly, as more and more practitioners and
healthcare professionals turn to herbal medicine, a field in which
Brazil is a world-class brand,” he says.

“Presently, Pharma Nectar is a respected brand that sets itself
apart for its quality and commitment to good services. We export
products to demanding markets such as Japan, the United States and
Europe, but do not lose our focus on individual pharmaceutical
attention and the creation of medical tools from natural molecules,”
says Abreu.