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Following several detentions of dairy products at Chilean ports that reached over 1 Million USD , Post reminds U.S. exporters of the import requirements set by the Chilean Ministry of Agriculture for dairy products.

This report highlights the food processing industry, its drivers, key players, and market landscape in the Caribbean Basin. The region relies heavily on imports, and the United States is the largest supplier of food ingredients.

The Chilean food processing industry is a highly developed and competitive sector, playing a crucial role in the national economy.

The United States is a major trading partner with the Dominican Republic (DR). The DR is the largest economy in the Caribbean and the seventh-largest economy in Latin America. Since the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) went into effect for the DR in 2007, U.S. agricultural exports to the DR have increased from $1 billion in 2007 to $2 billion in 2024.

Beer is the most consumed alcoholic beverage in Chile and represents 77 percent of total sales of alcohol beverages by volume. Per capita consumption of beer has grown rapidly in the past 20 years Chile reaching 59 liters in 2022.

New labeling requirements for dairy products that may impact U.S. exports to Chile will come into effect on January 9, 2025.

Discrepancies between the information provided on the export certificate and the information on the label of the package in U.S. dairy products is causing recurring detentions at the ports of entry in Chile.

In the Caribbean region, sales value in the retail grocery sector increased by 3 percent in 2023. This is due in part to the rise in tourism in many markets, which is boosting economic growth. The largest grocery retail markets are Trinidad and Tobago, Guadeloupe, and the Bahamas.

In 2023, the Chilean retail food industry witnessed a moderate recovery, with total sales reaching approximately $28.5 billion, a 2.3 percent increase over 2022. The Chilean retail sector is made up of large supermarkets, mid-sized grocery stores, convenience stores, and thousands of smaller independent mom-and-pop shops.

This report provides a comprehensive overview of the sweets and snack industry in Chile, highlighting its main players, consumption trends, regulations, and related international trade. The industry is robust and competitive balancing local production and imports. Innovation and adaption to consumption trends are key to the sector's continued growth.

On July 7, 2024, Chile’s new alcoholic beverages labeling law will come into force. The law aims to warn drivers, pregnant women, and minors about the impacts of consuming alcohol and to restrict the advertisements that could be directed to minors.

Chile has a modern and developed food and beverage processing industry. The Chilean food sector is the second most relevant export sector in the country after mining. There are significant opportunities for imported food ingredients in Chile, as half of all ingredients used by the food processing industry are imported.