Quick summary: Artisanal and regional products are gaining ground as consumers look for foods with identity, history and something that sets them apart from standardized options. It is a market where both sides can benefit, with small producers finding new sales channels and supermarkets bringing local flavors to their shelves. Anuga Select Brazil offers a valuable opportunity to bring these two sides together.

 

Contents

1. Artisanal and regional products are reaching wider audiences
2. Regional products can find a market far from where they originated
3. Biscuits show the strength of small businesses in the sector
4. Small businesses already play a major role in large food categories
5. How can an artisanal product stand out on the shelf?
6. Growth means preserving what makes the product different
7. Finding the right buyers remains a crucial step
8. Products from different regions at the same business table
9. Frequently asked questions

 

1. Artisanal and regional products are reaching wider audiences

Small-batch cheeses, biscuits made from local recipes, specialty coffees, jams, sweets, honey and preserves are part of an offering that, for a long time, circulated mainly near where it was produced. Today, many of these artisanal and regional products are finding their way to new audiences.

Origin and production methods also influence consumer choices. According to Mintel research cited by Sebrae RS in 2025, 67% of Brazilian consumers prefer products with a known origin, while 54% value artisanal foods and products made with natural ingredients.

This interest is also putting new products on the radar of supermarkets, specialty food stores and distributors. Projects, specialized platforms and trade shows bring producers closer to professionals looking for new products to sell.

2. Regional products can find a market far from where they originated

A connection to a particular place is often one of the defining characteristics of regional products. The ingredients used, techniques preserved across generations or recipes associated with a particular city or state create an identity that would be difficult to reproduce in the same way through fully standardized production.

A 2025 study published in Embrapa’s Cadernos de Ciência & Tecnologia examined how consumers and cheese producers in Southern Brazil perceive artisanal foods. Among the groups surveyed, artisanal foods were associated with small-scale production, craftsmanship and freshness, while emotional memories were also among the characteristics linked to cheese. Participating consumers also showed a willingness to pay more for products carrying artisanal certification labels, mainly because they perceived these labels as an assurance of quality.

Origin can open doors for a small brand, but it needs to be supported by attributes consumers can recognize. Packaging, information about provenance, ingredients, presentation and quality turn characteristics of the production process into clearer reasons to choose a product.

This combination also matters to those deciding what reaches store shelves. In aisles filled with established brands, adding foods with different flavors, recipes and origins gives retailers more variety and an opportunity to test categories that appeal to specific consumption habits.

3. Biscuits show the strength of small businesses in the sector

Few foods are as familiar as biscuits, yet a look at products made across different regions of Brazil reveals just how much variety exists within the category. Family recipes, local ingredients, distinctive shapes and traditional preparation methods coexist with businesses that start small and seek to take their products to new points of sale.

Data from Sebrae’s Observatory show that, among businesses registered in the segment through 2026, 55.1% are microenterprises and 36.8% are registered as individual microbusiness owners. Another 2.61% are classified as small businesses, while 5.49% fall into other categories. Together, the first two groups account for more than nine out of every ten registrations.

Having a product that is well received in its home region does not automatically translate into a place in retail. A small producer may have room to grow, but it still needs to put its biscuits in front of buyers from supermarkets, specialty food stores and distributors.

As orders increase, packaging, shelf life, logistics and delivery capacity become increasingly important. The challenge is to bring the product’s identity and distinguishing features to new shelves while maintaining the consistency required by a larger commercial operation.

4. Small businesses already play a major role in large food categories

Company size alone does not determine how far a category can reach. The Brazilian ice cream sector is a strong example. Approximately 11,000 companies generate more than R$15 billion in annual revenue, according to the Brazilian Association of Ice Cream Industries and Sector (ABIS). Around 92% of these businesses are micro and small enterprises.

The ice cream sector has also been represented at Anuga Select Brazil through a pavilion dedicated to the industry and its suppliers. The initiative brought together different parts of the value chain, from machinery and equipment companies to suppliers of ingredients and finished products.

5. How can an artisanal product stand out on the shelf?

When a small brand begins talking to supermarkets, distributors and other sales channels, food quality remains essential, but commercial and operational considerations become part of the equation as well.

Packaging that explains where a product comes from, for example, helps consumers understand its proposition. Clear information about ingredients, storage and distinguishing features also makes it easier for buyers to assess potential new suppliers. Price, margin, delivery capacity and supply consistency are part of that planning because they directly affect whether the product can remain reliably available.

The commercial presentation itself also deserves attention. Bringing well-prepared samples, knowing production figures, explaining which channels the brand already serves and presenting supply conditions make conversations with buyers more concrete. If orders have the potential to increase, producers also need to know how far production can grow without compromising the characteristics that made the product appealing in the first place.

Giving buyers the opportunity to taste the product can shorten that distance even further. At the latest edition of Anuga Select Brazil, tastings and other experiences were part of the program, bringing buyers into direct contact with a range of foods. Ice cream, artisanal confectionery, brownies, snack bars and biscuits were among the products presented, showing how different categories can use tasting to spark interest and highlight what makes them distinctive.

A similar approach can be used inside supermarkets. Tastings put a lesser-known brand directly in front of consumers and allow them to experience flavors, textures and ingredients that may not be immediately apparent from the packaging alone. When accompanied by information about the food’s origin and characteristics, the experience can also explain what sets the product apart from others on the shelf and encourage a first purchase.

Is your product ready to reach new shelves?

Before presenting a brand to a new buyer, having a few key answers ready can make negotiations more objective:

What to assess	What you need to know
Production	How much can the company produce today, and how far can that volume grow?
Shelf life	Does the product’s shelf life allow for adequate transportation, storage and display?
Delivery	Which cities or regions can be served, and how frequently?
Price	Does the price cover operating costs while allowing for the margin required by the sales channel?
Consistency	Can the company maintain its recipe, quality and supply even as orders increase?

Having this information organized allows buyers to assess the product as a commercial opportunity while also learning about its recipe and story.

6. Growth means preserving what makes the product different

Entering new points of sale can quickly increase demand for a small business. When that happens, maintaining the same standards across larger batches becomes part of the challenge.

A recipe that worked well in small quantities needs to retain its flavor, texture, weight and quality as production volumes increase. Ingredient supply must keep pace as well, along with storage, food safety controls, packaging and logistics.

Some categories also have specific identification and regulatory mechanisms. Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock maintains the National Registry of Artisanal Products, which includes registrations related to the Selo ARTE and Selo Queijo Artesanal certification programs. In September 2026, the database was updated with information organized by state, region and product type.

These mechanisms become particularly important when artisanal characteristics and origin are part of what a brand communicates to consumers. As distribution grows, demonstrating provenance and maintaining proper controls help preserve the trust built around the brand.

7. Finding the right buyers remains a crucial step

A small business may have a well-developed recipe, organized production and a clear identity and still struggle to reach the people responsible for purchasing at supermarkets, distributors, specialty food stores, hotels, restaurants and other channels.

On the other side, buyers need to discover suppliers, taste products, understand commercial terms and assess production and supply capacity. Trade shows shorten that path by bringing both sides face to face. At Anuga Select Brazil, exhibition stands and business meetings allow companies to present products, discuss supply conditions and better understand what different sales channels are looking for.

8. Products from different regions at the same business table

From April 6 to 8, 2027, at Distrito Anhembi in São Paulo, Anuga Select Brazil will once again bring together companies and professionals from across the food and beverage industry. Following an edition that mobilized hundreds of brands and generated thousands of business meetings, the next event will put small producers in front of professionals looking for new products and opportunities for their businesses.

Is your brand ready to bring the flavors of your region to new buyers? Join Anuga Select Brazil 2027 and present your products to professionals from different channels across the food and beverage market. Click here to exhibit.

 

Perguntas frequentes

What characterizes artisanal and regional products?

Artisanal products are foods made through production processes that emphasize distinctive preparation methods, ingredients or specific techniques. Regional products, in turn, have a connection to a particular place, whether through their recipe, raw materials, consumption habits or local traditions. A single product can combine both characteristics.

How can artisanal products be sold to supermarkets?

Beyond product quality, entering the retail market requires attention to packaging, shelf life, price, margins, production capacity, logistics and supply consistency. Presenting this information in an organized way makes it easier for buyers to evaluate the product and determine whether the company is prepared to supply new points of sale.

What do supermarkets consider when choosing new suppliers?

Product quality and differentiation are part of the assessment, but commercial and operational factors also carry weight. Price, margin, shelf life, production capacity, delivery frequency and supply consistency are among the points that should be clearly defined during negotiations.

How can a business grow without losing the characteristics of an artisanal product?

Increasing production requires careful standardization of recipes and processes so that flavor, texture, weight and quality remain consistent at higher volumes. Ingredient supply, storage, food safety controls, packaging and logistics also need to keep pace with growth without compromising what makes the product distinctive.

How can small producers find new buyers?

New buyers can be reached through distributors, direct commercial outreach, retail chains, specialty food stores and trade shows. Events such as Anuga Select Brazil bring producers together with buyers from different channels, creating opportunities to present products, make business contacts and better understand what professionals responsible for selecting new suppliers are looking for.