"Imagine you're going to buy $1 million worth of machinery. You can't trust doing this online. You have to come to places like the Canton Fair and see the owner face to face," says Brazilian buyer Andre Serrano, who joined a delegation of around 300 Brazilian buyers at the 140th Canton Fair for business negotiations.
He himself is a long-time regular at the Canton Fair. "I have lived in China for more than 10 years. I first attended the Canton Fair in 2010 as a translator," Serrano recalls. "Now I am a buyer, and I also help other buyers from Brazil purchase goods from China, especially by coming to the Canton Fair."
The purchasing power within Serrano's delegation is remarkably diverse. "I bring retailers. I also bring factories," Serrano explains. "I have people starting with very little money, maybe 5,000 USD, and I have people buying machines worth more than 300,000 USD. For my company, we purchase more than 2 or 3 million USD per year."
Within Serrano's delegation, 30 buyers are attending the Canton Fair for the very first time. For them, he has a clear message: "For a first-time buyer who wants to import goods, the Canton Fair is the best place to start."
For global buyers, the primary appeal of the Canton Fair is its unparalleled scale and ecosystem. "It is very popular in Brazil right now. Why? Because you can find everything in one place," Serrano says. "It is the biggest trade fair in terms of having different industries all together. At the same time, you get very high-quality suppliers here, unlike some other fairs that lack variety or quality."
Beyond the sheer volume of products, the Fair provides a comprehensive suite of services that makes international trade seamless. "You find all the solutions here—logistics, customs, translators. It's especially convenient for a first-time buyer who wants to import goods. The Canton Fair is the best place to start."
"I think the biggest problem we have in closing the gap between Brazil and China to do more business is trust," Serrano notes. "That's why we try hard to bring buyers here: to visit the factories, to touch, feel, discuss and tweak the products. You can vet not only the supplier but the product as well. Once they have trust, everything becomes easier."
The impact of this trust-building is long-lasting. Many buyers in Serrano's circle have become loyal attendees. "I have many friends who came with me. Now they're coming for the second, fifth or sixth time, and they're coming by themselves," he adds.
Reporters | Chen Jinxia, Chen Siyuan
Script | Chen Jinxia
