The Agricultural Competitiveness and Enterprise Development Project (ACED), funded by the United States Government, supported the participation of Moldovan agricultural producers and associations at the World Food Moscow trade show in late September 2012. This activity was conducted in partnership with the UNDP Project "Improving Trade and Productive Capacities of Moldovan Fresh Fruit Producers." 

This was the first time when the Moldovan participants united within a common pavilion at the World Food Moscow and adopted a joint MOLDOVA brand logo, which was developed with the assistance of ACED. The apples, plums and table grapes from Moldova were served to visitors in order to stress that “Taste makes the difference,” which was the joint marketing slogan for Moldovan produce. The new logo and slogan will be also used for the world’s largest fresh fruit trade show next February - Fruit Logistica, in Germany 

According to Petru Stratan, executive director of the Moldova-Fruct Association, Moldovan producers have already sent the first shipments of Moldovan apples to Russia as a result of participation in the World Food Moscow. Negotiations for additional shipments are underway. “This is a robust beginning, by world standards, but the impact from our participation was great indeed – the Russian consumers rediscovered Moldova for themselves.”   

The 39-square-meter Moldovan pavilion, organized with the support of ACED, was conveniently positioned near key international exporters, and hosted apple, plum and table grape producers, export and production associations, food processors, and logistics firms. The booth attracted many visitors and participants from the European Union, the Middle East and South East Asia, as well as from the CIS countries. Moldovan apples, in particular, were well received by intermediaries and chain owners from the eastern parts of Russia, and business people from France, Italy, Lithuania, Romania, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Iran, Venezuela, and Iraq. Aside from fresh produce, the Moldovan booth also exhibited dried fruits, walnuts, and canned foods such as marinated tomatoes, peach juice, plum jam, and apple puree.