Dried fruit, saffron, nuts and herbal teas: at this autumn's food and retail fairs in Germany, small Iranian producers were again looking for importers and wholesale buyers. For many family businesses, a stand at a German fair is the most direct way to show their products to European customers.

Quality and certificates come first

Exhibitors say German buyers ask less about price than about food safety, traceability and organic certification. Producers who arrive with laboratory reports, clear labelling in German and reliable delivery dates find conversations much easier.

Payments and logistics remain the hurdle

The practical questions are the same every year: how to transfer payments, how long shipping takes and who handles customs. Many deals therefore start small, with sample orders for specialist shops, before larger contracts follow.

For German retailers, the attraction is clear: Persian specialities are increasingly popular well beyond the diaspora.