Susanna Hardy, our web-savvy Managing Director – EU, had a great month “webinaring”. Susanna prepared, presented (audio and visual) and fielded the follow-ups from two webinars. She worked closely with our clients the Maine International Trade Center (MITC), Maine’s leading source for international business assistance as well as the Food Export Association of the Midwest USA and Food Export USA Northeast, who both did a great job hosting and moderating. Our sincere thanks go to Wade Merritt (Vice President) and Hannah Webb (Trade Assistance Manager) from the MITC team and John Belmont (Communications Manager), Joe Yotti (Branded Program Manager) and Kathryn Navarro (International Marketing Program Assistant) from the Food Export Association of the Midwest USA and Food Export USA Northeast team. The webinars were well attended and a great success. Attendees were selected and invited on the basis of their interest in growing their exports and the webinars proved educational and informative. Lots of time was dedicated to interactive questions as participants asked a range of export, ecommerce related questions and receiving informed answers. For MITC the subject was: “Grow your exports and business in Europe: Using online and ecommerce opportunities", presented on Wednesday the 18th of March and the next week on Tuesday the 24th March with the Food Export Association of the Midwest USA and Food Export USA Northeast, were pleased to present the webinar: "Building Your Online Presence to Boost Exports: Europe as a Case Study".
Maine's export success, driven by the MITC, boasts >2200 exporters, with >13% of their exports going to Europe >$350Mn, notably the Nordic countries, including the UK, Sweden and Iceland. The Maine North Atlantic Development Office (MENADO), is an initiative of the MITC to increase trade and investment between Maine and markets of the North Atlantic Region and develop Maine’s policy in Arctic affairs. The webinar, presented by Susanna supports the MITC objective of growing Maine’s exports and business in Europe. Leading exports include: paper, fish, marine products, transportation equipment, computers, electronic as well as forestry products. If you want to find out more, listen and watch the webinar please click here.
U.S. exports of agricultural, food and drink products to Europe now top US$15Bn, up by >20% in the past 3 years. Consumer oriented exports grew to >US$6Bn (>42% of the total). The European countries together as the rank 5th largest export market for U.S. agricultural, food and drink. Now, drilling down into the leading categories we have: tree nuts, soybeans and soybean meal, wine and beer, prepared food, distilled spirits (Moonshine is making a play…), wine, craft beers, other processed foods, ingredients and beverage bases, cooked and prepared shellfish, dried fruit, fats and oils, baking inputs, mixes and dough’s and juices. The numbers are large (in USD and tonnes), as is the range and source of product is impressive; California nuts to Maine’s juices, with ever state in-between contributing. The Food Export Association of the Midwest USA (representing 12 Midwestern state agricultural promotion agencies) and Food Export USA Northeast (representing 10 northeastern state agricultural promotion agencies), in conjunction with ibt partners were pleased to present the webinar: "Building Your Online Presence to Boost Exports: Europe as a Case Study ". Susanna presented the EU internet landscape, outlined the necessary steps to building local websites and how best to leverage in-market websites to grow your export business. Topics she covered included: i) Introduction to the Online World, ii) Europe’s Internet World iii) Importance of Local Websites for the Agri-Food Business iv) Building Local Websites Marketing Local Websites and of course the Q&A session. Go check it out on here.
U.S. exports of agricultural products to Germany, continued to grow reaching >US$2Bn, making this market the #1 European and #10 export market for U.S. agricultural products. Consumer ready food products are the big deal, some >43% of the total. So what are these, well the top processed food exports to Germany include whiskies, wine, other processed foods, ingredients and beverage bases, soybean oil, edible fats and oils, surimi and minced fish, flavorings, frozen prepared fish roe and liver, table condiments and peanut butter (now is that crunchy or smooth?). Two top trends stand out in Germany, as consumers take to private labels (both discount and premium) and going green. It’s worth noting that after the U.S., the German organic food market is the 2nd biggest market of the world. U.S. products with the best German export opportunities include delicatessen and snack foods, novelty products, food products invented to the U.S., spices, dried vegetables, wild rice, and nutritional foods and supplements. Add to that list, tree nuts, as well as peanuts and sunflower seeds, as well as dried fruits, for both the retail and food processing channels. Finally, don’t forget fruit juices, “niche” dairy products, pet food, seafood, and high quality beef and game products. So there is a lot out there across the U.S. that is wanted in Germany.
Now to the U.K. which also grew healthy for U.S. exporters, topping US$1.6 billion, keeping that focus upon consumer food products, that represent >57% of the agricultural total, growing at >15%. Wow. Look to speciality foods products, “healthy” food items, wine, sauces, fruit, nuts and juices. In the U.K. we are all health and convenience, a value-added food and beverage market. The average Brit is looking for variety in high quality food products, those that have health and fitness benefits. Top processed food exports include wine (a very open market), whiskies (Scotch is great, but U.S. Tennessee whiskey has real traction), and other processed foods (especially from Pennsylvania), ingredients and beverage bases, prepared salmon, dried fruit (raisins, prunes), dried vegetables, fats and oils, baked snack foods, cooked and prepared shellfish and chocolate candy. U.S. food products which do well in the U.K. are pub snack foods, fresh and dried fruit, nuts, canned salmon, cereal products, cooking sauces, salad dressings, confectionery, dips and salsas, frozen foods, wine, and beer (crazy about crafted beers from Oregon…) and food ingredients. Rather like Germany, organic products are hugely successful. Getting back to an easy and/or busy life, convenience (semi-prepared) foods are estimated to account for around 50% of household food expenditure. This trend continues to be a major driving force in the U.K. food and beverage industry. The U.S. food product export bucket list must include: rice, citrus fruit, bananas, corn, coffee, cocoa, stone fruit, tea and some oilseeds. Processed products that the U.K. imports in great quantity include wine (California again…) and preserved/frozen fruit and fruit juices.
Germany and the U.K. are the two main European markets for U.S. agricultural food product exports, together they take in almost US$4Bn (27%) of the US$15Bn. Be aware, that there are another 30+ European countries, if you wish to add in the European Union (28), Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, Turkey, Russia. And the list goes on! Some > of the world’s wealthiest consumers want your products. Learn how to “Grow your exports and business in Europe: Using online and ecommerce opportunities” and then “Building Your Online Presence to Boost Exports: Europe as a Case Study" listen, watch and enjoy as Susanna presents all this great stuff on the two March 2015, ibt partners webinars…
