Over 3,000 people attended 12 gatherings in Macao meant to promote sales of products of the Portuguese-speaking world, notably food and drink, the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, or IPIM, says.

The first of the gatherings, in the Portuguese-speaking Countries Food Products Exhibition Centre, was held in May, and the last ended on July 25, according to a written statement IPIM issued yesterday.

Each began on a Friday and ended the following Sunday, bringing together 24 Macao agents for sellers of products that lusophone countries are known for, such as coffee, IPIM says.

The IPIM statement quotes an agent for one company as saying that in the course of the gatherings the company began negotiations to have its coffee served in mainland Chinese restaurants.