Imalinx successfully represented the United States Popcorn Board at the prestigious Expoalimentaria trade show in Lima, Peru, which took place from September 23 to 26. The objective of the mission was to assess market opportunities and engage with key industry players. During the event, the United States Popcorn Board hosted a dedicated booth that served as a central point for interaction, allowing Imalinx to distribute product samples directly to consumers and generate interest in high-quality U.S. popcorn. Furthermore, the delegation conducted several targeted meetings with relevant members of the Peruvian food and distribution industry, gathering critical insights into the local supply chain and consumer preferences.
The visit underscored the significant and growing demand for popcorn (or canchita) in the Peruvian market. Local trends, particularly the post-pandemic surge in home entertainment and the increasing adoption of streaming platforms, have driven a robust “movie night at home” culture, directly boosting consumption. The market analysis confirms that while there is domestic production, it does not fully meet the total demand, creating a clear opportunity for high-quality imported products like U.S. popcorn. The expansion of e-commerce and the established network of both supermarkets and wholesale distributors provide clear and accessible channels to introduce and scale the U.S. product offering.
In partnership with the Western United States Agricultural Trade Association (WUSATA), Imalinx coordinated a trade mission to Bogotá, Colombia, involving 10 companies from the grocery, pet care, and alcoholic beverage sectors.
During the mission, 101 one-on-one meetings were held over a two-day period, facilitating direct contact between U.S. exporters and Colombian buyers. Participants also attended ExpoIALIMENTOS and conducted a showcase at Grupo Éxito to present their products and send samples for future opportunities.
The program included visits to supermarkets such as D1, Alkosto, Éxito, and Carulla, as well as educational sessions on the Colombian market and its import process, conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture.
This mission successfully enhanced commercial relations between the two countries and created meaningful growth prospects for the participating companies.
On March 24, four distinguished companies from the southern United States members of SUSTA and specialists in grocery and dairy products participated in the event, showcasing their product offerings. The participating companies were:
Their participation was key in highlighting the quality and diversity of Southern U.S. products, generating new business opportunities and establishing valuable connections with potential buyers.
Also participating in this 2025 edition were companies from the Western United States, represented by WUSATA. Eight companies showcased a wide range of products, including dairy, fresh produce, nuts, cocktails, and groceries. These companies included:
In addition, the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC), representing growers and packers of Russet potatoes in the state, actively participated in the ANTAD trade show, held in Guadalajara, Mexico. The main goal for all attending companies was to meet with key importers and distributors to build and strengthen commercial relationships that support their growth in the Mexican market.
American Pistachio Growers participated for the first time with its own stand at Expo ANTAD 2025 in Guadalajara, Jalisco. This trade show is a key meeting point for the retail sector, wholesalers, and distributors in Mexico and Latin America.
During the event, APG executives and the Imalinx team held successful meetings with key companies, consolidating strategic partnerships with:
These meetings helped strengthen the presence of American Pistachios in the Mexican market, both in traditional retail channels and in new value-added product offerings.
Imalinx was responsible for designing and building the booths for the three organizations within the U.S. Pavilion, as well as coordinating and supporting the business meetings between the companies and key retailers, importers, and distributors.
Participation in this year’s ANTAD show proved highly productive, helping companies advance their internationalization efforts and strengthen their presence in Mexico. Thanks to effective organization and a strategy focused on in-booth product tastings, SUSTA and WUSATA companies met with over 50 key contacts, while IPC connected with more than 10 new clients, with whom business relationships and agreements are already underway.
On January 18th and 19th, two activation days were held at Aztlán amusement park as part of a month-long campaign aimed at promoting informed popcorn consumption. The goal was to educate visitors about the origin, nutritional benefits, and everyday uses of popcorn. This campaign was seamlessly integrated with the park’s attractive menu of flavored popcorn options an initiative led by the park itself in collaboration with one of the popcorn distributors in Mexico.
Throughout January, the campaign maintained a strong presence across the park with branding featured on popcorn stand frames, food menu boards, and digital screens in key areas. With an estimated 2,000 daily visitors, the park provided an ideal setting to reach a broad and diverse audience. During the two activation days, 800 people actively participated in interactive activities that highlighted the benefits of U.S. popcorn and encouraged a more conscious approach to its consumption, all within a fun and family-friendly environment.
The combined efforts of the educational campaign and the park’s flavorful popcorn offering created a cohesive and appealing experience for guests. This helped reinforce the positioning of U.S. origin popcorn in a setting that celebrates entertainment and popular culture. The collaboration between campaign partners and local stakeholders proved effective in expanding reach and impact, laying the foundation for future initiatives in high-traffic, high-consumption venues.
On December 21st, a special activation took place at Six Flags Mexico as part of a month-long campaign designed to raise awareness about the origin of U.S. popcorn, its benefits, and its various uses. Taking advantage of the park’s high foot traffic during the holiday season, the campaign featured prominent branding on official popcorn containers and menu boards at food stations, achieving an estimated daily visibility of 5,000 people.
During the main activation day, more than 1,400 people actively participated in engaging activities aimed at educating them about popcorn’s origin, its versatility as a healthy snack, its role in the Mexican market, and common consumption occasions. These interactions provided valuable insight into consumer awareness—approximately 30% of participants were already familiar with the U.S. origin of popcorn and its significance in Mexico.
The collaboration with Six Flags proved to be an ideal platform to expand the campaign’s reach and connect with a broad, diverse audience in a fun and familiar setting. With a combination of consistent visibility throughout December and a high-impact activation, the initiative helped reinforce the positioning of U.S. popcorn, promote informed consumption, and lay the groundwork for future efforts in the entertainment and mass consumption sectors.
Imalinx and the Southern United States Agribusiness Trade Association (SUSTA) coordinated the trade mission to Mexico City and Monterrey from October 7th – 10th. Three companies from different categories-snacks, groceries, beef jerky, and multivitamins-registered for the mission.
The mission included one-on-one meetings, supermarket visits, and educational sessions by Imalinx and the Farm Bureau to understand the market in each city. Each company had an average of 5 appointments in each city for a total of 41 meetings during the mission, all with buyers who have specific interest in the exporters.
The supermarket visits were in stores such as Costco, City Market, Chredaui, Ingredienta, HEB and Soriana. The companies were able to better understand their competition in Mexico, price range, indirect competition and different formats available in Mexico City and Monterrey.
USRPA (US Rice Producers Association) , in collaboration with the Colegio Superior de Gastronomía, organized a training session for 6th-semester students who were taking the course on grains and seeds. The event was attended by 14 students and aimed to instruct them on the advantages of using American long-grain rice. During the session, two recipes were developed: rice and shrimp croquettes, and orange rice pudding, where the star ingredient was American long-grain rice.
The collaboration between USRPA and the Colegio Superior de Gastronomía allowed for a theoretical class where the advantages and differentiators of American long-grain rice were explained. Subsequently, the students put these learnings into practice by developing the two mentioned recipes. All participants received a recognition for their participation, highlighting the importance of both practical and theoretical learning. The results of this session were highly positive.
The training session not only achieved its educational objectives, but also inspired students to explore new culinary possibilities with American long-grain rice.
Popcorn and CMAB participated as a sponsor in the event Restaurants Choice, organized by Players of Life, which awards the best restaurants in Monterrey and its metropolitan area. With the presence of international judges and more than 100 restaurateurs, including restaurant owners and directors of chains, the event focused on recognizing the best in each category.
During the event, they had a prominent presence on printed and electronic banners, as well as direct interaction with the restaurateurs and directors. The brand’s innovative programs were presented and collaboration opportunities were discussed, using various communication channels to ensure an effective message.
The results were notable: They achieved more than 30 direct contacts interested in future collaborations, and a large part of the attendees recognized the brands as a key player in the sector, strengthening its presence in the restaurant industry.
The Western United States Agricultural Trade Association (WUSATA), in conjunction with the Idaho and Oregon Departments of Agriculture and Imalinx, scheduled a trade mission to these states with a delegation of Mexican buyers from the ingredient and foodservice industry to meet new suppliers of grains, seeds, processed products and value-added products.
Imalinx recruited buyers who had one-on-one meetings with 15 companies to develop new business, visits to some of their plants and also visits to supermarkets for end consumers and foodservice where they were able to see new product trends and food and beverage presentations.
“Thank you for the invitation to this trade mission. We have a lot of potential with new products such as khorasan and teff. We must follow up with the companies as necessary to be able to enhance the results of new business opportunities.” Added Value Buyer
Expo ANTAD, that took place from March 12 to 14, is a trade show focused on the retail sector with more than 1,100 exhibiting companies and an estimated 10,000 professional visitors.
This year IMALINX coordinated a total of 17 booths for 6 of our clients, organizing logistics, business meetings and follow-ups with importers, distributors and supermarkets of various categories of food and beverages; from fresh produce such as Idaho Potatoes, grains and nuts such as Popcorn and California Raisins, dairy products with California Milk and various companies from the South and West of the United States.
The show was a success and has allowed us to see products in the supermarket in a short period of time after the show.