Educational Webinar Helps Potato Chip Company Dodge Fraudulent Order
On January 13, 2010, Bob Rollyson, International Account Manager of Shearer's Foods in Brewster, Ohio in the 16th Congressional District, attended the Food Export-Midwest and Food Export-Northeast-sponsored "How to Avoid Online Frauds and Scams" Webinar. This is just one in a series of webinars to help companies with every step of their exporting business. A month later, Rollyson received an e-mail requesting an order of "product" to be shipped to Australia. The e-mail was from a seemingly reputable company, but upon investigating the inquiry, Rollyson discovered the request was an internet scam designed to coax a shipment, and then defraud the payment.

Branded Program Helps Illinois Company With Bilingual Labeling Changes for Canada
In 2009, Ree Ree Foods, LLC, located in Elmhurst, Illinois, in the 6th Congressional District, took advantage of Food Export-Midwest’s 50 percent cost-share Branded Program to help with the expense of packaging and labeling changes to export their all-natural vegetable puree products to Canada.

Food Export-Midwest Programs and Services Help Bread Company Expand Export Sales To Canada
R.W. Bakers Co. of Muskegon, Michigan in the 2nd Congressional District, credits Food Export Midwest’s programs and services with their export successes in the Canadian wholesale and consumer markets. The company exhibited at SIAL Montreal in 2007 where they met an interested Canadian buyer. As a result of this meeting, the company exported four product lines including submarine buns, cheese topped breadsticks, sandwich rounds, and top-sliced hot dog buns in 2009. They project $500,000 - $750,000 in annual sales to this buyer.

Panko Producer Breaks Into New Market With Branded Program
In 2009, Upper Crust Enterprises Inc., a Panko producer who purchases wheat flour from companies located in Omaha, Nebraska and Decatur, Illinois, took advantage of 50% reimbursement from the Branded program, which allowed the company to get their product into Japanese restaurants in Russia.

Rural Missouri Company Gains New Sales Leads Using the Branded program in Nurnberg, Germany
In May 2010, Diamond Pet Foods, located in Meta, Missouri, in the 9th Congressional District, exhibited at the Interzoo trade show using Food Export-Midwest’s Branded Program. At the event, they established new leads for product sales to buyers from India, Australia, UAE, and Qatar. In the near months, they will make sales of both dog and cat food products to these countries that will total an estimated $500,000 in the first year.

Kansas Salsa Company Makes First-Time Export Sale to Taiwan
For two of the past three years, Maser Industries, located in Stilwell, Kansas, of the 3rd Congressional District has exhibited at the Summer Fancy Food Show using 50 percent cost-share funding through Food Export-Midwest's Branded Program to help cover tradeshow booth fees and the cost to ship samples to the event. According to Carol Maser, Part-Owner of Maser Industries, "During the 2007 show, we established a relationship with an export management company to help us export our line of specialty salsas to Taiwan. During a subsequent trade mission, a distributor from the country sampled our salsa products and placed an order through the export management company." The initial sale was for $2,200 and the company expects future business from the buyer. Maser added, "Without support from the Branded Program, we wouldn’t have been able to attend the Fancy Food Show."

Focused Trade Mission to Chile Helps Edible Seed Company Solidify New Export Business to South America
November 2009, Giroski Agro, headquartered in Miami, Florida, with partnerships with producers in North Dakota and Minnesota, participated in the Food Export-Midwest-sponsored Focused Trade Mission to Chile. According to Amanda Delgado, International Business Manager for the company, "Through the Focused Trade Mission, we were able to meet face-to-face with a distributor in Chile and start negotiations. Within two weeks of the Trade Mission we made our first shipment of lentils, followed by two more shipments. The three shipments totaled approximately $450,000 in new export sales for our company."

Functional Beverage Company Now Exporting to Korea, Indonesia, and Malaysia Thanks to the Branded Program
DreamPak LLC, located in Alexandria, Virginia, with a facility in New Berlin, Wisconsin, in the 5th Congressional District, has attended domestic and international tradeshows using 50 percent cost-share funding through the Branded Program. In 2009 and 2010, they exhibited at Natural Products Expo East and Natural Products Expo West, the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) show in 2010, as well as international trade events including Vitafoods held in Geneva and the Tokyo Health Industry Show, both in 2008. As a result, the company has made new contacts and expanded their client base. They currently have three international distributors in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Korea that brought in over $100,000 in combined export sales and resulted in an additional $25,000 in purchased ingredients and packaging materials from local U.S. vendors.

Export Sales to China Heating Up For Indiana Popcorn Company
May 2009, Preston Farms LLC, located in Palmyra, Indiana, in the 9th Congressional District, attended SIAL China with financial assistance through the Food Export-Midwest 50 percent cost-share Branded Program. During the event, the popcorn company met a buyer from China and since that time made a first-time export sale to the country resulting in a five percent increase in their overall export sales. According to Leigh Anne Preston, Sales Representative for Preferred Popcorn, which has since purchased Preston Farms’ bulk processing division, “The Branded Program helped us with the cost of travel, lodging, and tradeshow fees, enabling us to exhibit at the event and make a new buyer contact that ultimately led to a first-time export sale to the region for our company.” The new export sales have made a positive impact on their local economy due to sourcing more bulk popcorn, requiring the company to contract more popcorn acreage and giving more work to local farmers.

Wisconsin Company Makes First-Time Export Sales to Canada and Japan
Nutorious, LLC, located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in the 8th Congressional District made a first-time export sale to Canada as a result of their participation in the Food Export-Midwest-sponsored Specialty Foods Buyers Mission during the Winter Fancy Foods Show held January 2009. According to Carrie Liebhauser, Co-owner of Nutorious, LLC, "We recently completed an initial sale to a distributor in Canada for $2,500 of our Nutorious Nut Confections. We were introduced to the distributor through the one-on-one meetings during the Buyers Mission. We are hopeful that this initial sale will become repeat business for our company."

Ohio Company Makes First-Time Export Sale to Indonesia
EcoVative Resources, LLC, located in Columbus, Ohio, in the 15th Congressional District, landed a first-time export sale to Indonesia as a result of Food Export-Midwest’s Market Builder Program. In December 2009, the company traveled to Southeast Asia where they met one-on-one with seven importers through the Market Builder RepFinder service, resulting in an initial export sale for $14,000 of their organic jumbo raisins and organic toddler formula products. According to Megan Sun, Owner of EcoVative Resources, LLC, "We are hopeful that this initial sale will lead to future export sales because we are about to sign a contract with the importer. We are also currently sourcing for other U.S. products for two additional contacts we met with through the RepFinder service."

Minnesota Company Makes First-Time Export Sale to Panama
In May 2009, Papa George LLC, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the 5th Congressional District attended the Focused Trade Mission to Central America for Food Service Products where they made ten new buyer contacts, established one new distributorship, and made a first-time export sale to Panama. George Ghanem, owner of Papa George, explained, "We have sent a test order to our new distributor in Panama that includes 1,200 lbs of our pork sausage products, valued at over $2,000. We're hopeful this will lead to $60,000 a year in new export sales for our company. The Focused Trade Mission was a wonderful experience because the In-Market Representative was very knowledgeable and brought together qualified buyers and a distributor to ensure we made a sale."

Wisconsin Company Expands Export Sales to Israel and China

The Stone Group, located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in the 8th Congressional District has been taking advantage of Food Export–Midwest support and services for four years. In that time, they’ve seen their export sales double each year and attribute much of this growth to the contacts they’ve made at Food Export-Midwest-sponsored Buyers Missions.

North Dakota Company Continues to Grow Export Sales with Support from the Branded Program
Dakota Prairie Organic Flour Company, located in Harvey, North Dakota, has participated in the Branded Program for five years. The program has helped the company exhibit at international tradeshows, place advertisements, cover the cost of freight when shipping samples overseas and modify their package labels. Before joining the 50-percent cost-share program, their export sales accounted for only five percent of their total sales.

Midwest Buyers Mission helps Illinois company make first-time export sale to China
Dutch Farms, located in Chicago, Illinois, in the 2nd Congressional District, participated in the Food Export-Midwest-sponsored 2009 Midwest Buyers Mission where they had the opportunity to meet one-on-one with international buyers and made a first-time export sale to Beijing, China.

Ohio company makes first-time export sale to Philippines with Food Export Helpline^TM assistance
Nutra Source Trading Co., LLC, located in Columbus, Ohio in the 15th Congressional District, was brand new to exporting in November 2008. Melissa Fata, Owner, used Food Export-Midwest’s Food Export Helpline^TM to get started. “The Food Export Helpline^TM ensured I was prepared to meet with buyers by helping me locate harmonized codes for our products, providing market research on the top 25 markets for our products and helping me understand the various INCOTERMS (International Commercial Terms) and how important it is to use the correct terms for any international sales contracts. I was also given contact information for the overseas USDA, Foreign Agricultural Service offices.” As a result of the assistance, the company was able to connect with a buyer in the Philippines through their USDA, Foreign Agricultural Service office and make a first-time export sale valued at $11,500. They are hopeful this will become a monthly shipment.

Midwest Company Makes First-Time Export Sale to Jamaica
PW Montgomery, LLC, with locations in Fargo, North Dakota, Detroit Lakes, Minnesota in Congressional District 7, and Greeley, Colorado, attended the Food Export-Northeast-sponsored 2009 Focused Trade Mission to the Caribbean for Food Service Products and made a first-time export sale to Jamaica. According to Paul Montgomery, consultant/sales representative, “The trade mission was very well organized and just the right size. We met one-on-one with eight pre-qualified buyers and walked away with some very strong sales leads. In fact, one of the buyers contacted us after the event, which lead to a first-time export sale of one container with further sales pending.”

Pennsylvania Company Makes First-Time Export Sale To Argentina
In September 2008, Herr Foods, located in Nottingham, Pennsylvania in the 16th Congressional District, participated in the Food Export-Northeast-sponsored SIAL Mercosur Food Show PLUS!TM where they were introduced to a distributor from Argentina.

Ohio Company Makes Million Dollar Sale To Korea
East-West International Group, located in Moreland Hills, Ohio in the 14th Congressional District, has used Branded Program funds since 1999 for advertising, in-store promotions and demonstrations, shipping samples and exhibiting in international tradeshows. The Branded Program is funded through the Market Access Program and administered by Food Export-Midwest. It provides reimbursement of 50 percent of many international promotional costs to help small companies increase their export of U.S. agricultural products.

Nebraska Export Management Company Thrives With Branded Program Assistance
Good Life Foods, Inc. of Lincoln, Nebraska in the 1st Congressional District has used cost-share funding from the Branded Program since 2002 to expand its export management business in numerous international markets. The Branded Program is funded through the Market Access Program and administered by Food Export-Midwest.   It provides reimbursement of 50 percent of many international promotional costs to help small companies increase their export of U.S. agricultural products.

Kansas Company Builds Exports & Becomes "Exporter of the Year"
Cereal Ingredients, Inc., of Leavenworth, KS in the 2nd Congressional District, participated in the Food Export-Midwest sponsored Focused Trade Mission to China for Food Ingredients in February 2008. According to Executive VP of Sales and Marketing, Jim Thomasson, “It couldn't have been any better. We received great detail of information about the market. And contacts made with a buyer yielded export sales of $42,000.” Through participating in Food Export- Midwest’s Buyers Missions, where Cereal Ingredients, Inc. had the opportunity to meet with international buyers, the company made a total of $73,000 in export sales in 2008. In addition, In 2009 Cereal Ingredients, Inc. won the “Exporter of the Year” award which is one of Kansas’ top business honors. And 2009 is looking just as bright. So far, the company has made sales to the buyer from the Focused Trade Mission to China for $36,000 with another shipment due out in June.

Food Export-Northeast Helps Rhode Island Company Make First-Time Export Sale to Dubai
After participating in the March 2009, Food Export-Northeast-sponsored, Seafood Buyers Mission at the International Boston Seafood Show, Seafreeze Ltd. of Kingstown, Rhode Island, in the 2nd Congressional District landed a new sale to Dubai for three containers of their seafood products valued at $100,000 as well as a sale to Russia valued at $80,000. This marked the company’s first-time export sale to Dubai. Buyers Missions afford U.S. suppliers the opportunity to meet one-on-one with pre-qualified international buyers interested in their products to generate export sales.

Iowa Company's Exports of Halal Foods See New Heights Through Branded Program Assistance
Midamar Corporation of Cedar Rapids, IA in the 2nd Congressional District has taken advantage of the Branded Program for two decades. The Branded Program is funded through the Market Access Program and administered by Food Export-Midwest.   It provides reimbursement of 50 percent of many international promotional costs to help small companies increase their export of U.S. agricultural products. As a result, the company is exporting from West Asia to East Asia.

Tastemorr Snacks Makes Some Tasty Sales to Canada Through Food Export-Midwest Services
Through participating in Food Export-Midwest services over the last six years, Tastemorr Snacks of Coldwater, OH in the 8th Congressional District, has seen significant expansion. The company has used Branded Program funds to produce promotional literature, signs and banners in 17 international markets.  In addition, they landed a small customer accounting for 4% of Canadian business at the 2007 Private Label Manufactures Association (PLMA) Buyers Mission.

U.S. Suppliers See Export Sales Soar From Food Export-Northeast Food Show PLUS™ at ISM
Six U.S. companies from Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Wisconsin traveled to Cologne, Germany for the International Sweets and Biscuits Fair (ISM) in February 2009. Food Export-Northeast sponsored Food Show PLUS™ tradeshow enhancement services funded through the Market Access Program to prepare U.S. companies for international tradeshows and maximize their experience.

Natural Products Expo West Buyers Mission Provides Export Opportunities for U.S. Suppliers
Food Export-Midwest sponsored the Natural Product Expo West Buyers Mission in Anaheim, California in March 2009. 25 U.S. suppliers from 15 states had the opportunity to have one-on-one meetings with qualified buyers. At the event, the companies made actual on-site sales to the tune of $80,000. 8 of these sales were first-time export sales for the companies. Projected sales for the next six to 12 months were $3,145,000. In total, the companies made 88 contacts with new buyers and established 20 new distributorships.

Midwest Buyers Mission Opens the Doors to Costa Rica and Colombia for Wisconsin Company
Patrick Cudahy, located in Cudahy, Wisconsin, in the 4th Congressional District, attended the 2007 and 2008 Midwest Buyers Missions, sponsored by Food Export-Midwest, where they met one-on-one with buyers from Costa Rica in 2007 and Colombia in 2008. Through the contacts made at these two Food Export-Midwest events, the company is currently working on a new export sale to Colombia valued at $250,000 and is expecting an additional $50,000 sale to Costa Rica in the next year. The company has also taken advantage of the no-cost Food Export Helpline service to assist them with navigating exporting regulations and determining their HS codes for use in Canada, Mexico, and Costa Rica.

Baby Food Company Happily Welcomes Export Sales Through Food Export-Midwest Support
Happy Family Brands of Brooklyn, New York in the 12th Congressional District exhibited at the Natural Product Expo West Buyers Mission in March 2009. As a result of attending the show, the company sold their baby food product worth $14,000 to Hong Kong, $35,000 to Dubai and $4,000 to Singapore. According to Bob Zimmerman, Vice President of National Sales, “Prior to this year, I had no experience in exporting. Now we are making sales and have inquiries from other markets such as Vietnam, Korea, and Turkey.”

Food Show PLUS!™ Services Help U.S. Suppliers Make International Sales
Food Export-Midwest sponsored Food Show PLUS!™ tradeshow enhancement services at the February 2009 Japan Self Service Association (JSSA) show in Tokyo. Five U.S. Suppliers from Nebraska, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin participated and made actual on-site sales of $4,102,000 which included two first-times sales to the market. Projected sales for the next year were estimated at $11,000,000. The companies made 21 contacts with new buyers and established 29 new distributorships.

Popcorn Company Expands Its Export Sales With Food Export-Midwest & Food Export-Northeast Services
Thatcher’s Gourmet Specialties, Inc., of North Loup, NE in the 3rd Congressional District, used Food Export-Midwest’s Branded Program to exhibit at tradeshows for the last two years. In June 2008 they attended the Food Export-Northeast Summer Fancy Food Buyers Mission in New York where they met a buyer from Canada. The company has since made export sales to this buyer totaling over $100,000. In February 2009 they exhibited at the Japan Self Service Association Food Show PLUS!™ in Tokyo. Three weeks later, Thatcher’s made an export sale of their popcorn to a buyer they met at the show worth $24,000. The company projects sales to both buyers in 2009 that will increase their export sales an additional 15%.

Food Export-Midwest Helps Export Sales for Iowa Company Pop
The American Pop Corn Company of Sioux City, Iowa in the 5th Congressional District, has participated in Food Export- Midwest’s programs and services since the early 1990s. In that time their actual export sales have grown from non-existent to a few million dollars per year. President, Garrett Smith, says their participation has significantly helped the company find and keep contacts in overseas markets. “We participate in the Food Show PLUS!TM services at shows such as Anuga and SIAL China. We always come home with a handful of leads. It’s unusual if we don’t attract one or two buyers from each show. We use the Branded Program as a tool to attract new agents by letting them know that they can be eligible to receive 50 percent reimbursement for marketing expenses by working with us. ”

Food Show PLUS!™ Activity Creates Opportunities for U.S. Suppliers in Dubai
Eight U.S. companies from Maine, Massachusetts and New York, traveled to the Gulfood Food Show in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, February 23-26, 2009, where they had the opportunity to take advantage of Food Export-Northeast’s Food Show PLUS!™ tradeshow enhancement services.

New Jersey Company Sees Exporting Success in the Middle East Through Branded Program Support
Rastelli Foods Corp. of Swedesboro, NJ in the 1st Congressional District, has participated in the Gulfood Food Show for the past four years. Their first year at the show the company learned about Food Export-Northeast and three years ago started exhibiting at Gulfood using the Branded Program. The company has sold a total of $400 million in product to the Middle East. In the last three years they have seen a double digit growth in sales including two new sales from the 2009 Gulfood Show to Jordan and Qatar each for $8-$12 million per year. David McClendon, Director of Marketing for Rastelli said, “Thanks to our participation in the Branded Program, we were able to secure and confirm new customers in the Middle East region. We strongly believe that Gulfood Show is the show which we would always want to be in as it helps us meet with our customers as well as exhibit our new brand and concepts.”

Pennsylvania Dessert Company Makes First-Time Export Sale to Singapore
In April 2008, Sweet Street Desserts, located in Reading, Pennsylvania in the 16th Congressional District, participated in the Food Export-Midwest-sponsored Food and Hotel Asia Food Show PLUS!™. The Food Show PLUS!™ tradeshow enhancement services enabled the company to make more than 100 new buyer contacts, ten new distributor contacts, and resulted in a first-time export sale of one container of their desserts to Singapore. In addition, they are sending samples to several interested buyers in Japan, also a result of contacts made thanks to Food Show PLUS!™.

Branded Program Helps Minnesota Company Export to the Middle East & Russia
Fiberstar, headquartered in Willmar, Minnesota, in the 7th Congressional District, used Food Export-Midwest's Branded Program to help offset the cost of participating in the 2008 Gulfood tradeshow in Dubai, UAE. According to Nick Kovalenko, Director of International Marketing, "Thanks to cost-share assistance through the Branded Program, we were able to participate in many international tradeshows." Through contacts made at the Gulfood show, as well as through the technical assistance provided to the distributors in the area, in the first quarter of 2009 they received an order from a buyer in Turkey for $20,000 and another order from a buyer in Jordan for $50,000.

Pennsylvania Company Makes First-Time Export Sale to Canada
In August 2008, Cherchies Specialty Foods, located in Malvern, Pennsylvania, of the 6th Congressional District, participated in the Food Export-Northeast-sponsored Focused Trade Mission to Canada where they were introduced to a Canadian buyer.

Focused Trade Mission Helps Minnesota Company Expand Export Sales to Mexico
Contacts made at the 2008 Focused Trade Mission to Northern Mexico (sponsored by Food Export-Midwest) resulted in a three percent increase in snack export sales to Mexico for SunOpta of Minnetonka, Minnesota in the 5th Congressional District. During the Mission, the company had the opportunity to meet with targeted foreign buyers one-on-one to learn more about their product's export potential, and build relationships.

Popcorn Company Expands With Branded Program Support
Preferred Popcorn, LLC, of Chapman, NE in the 3rd Congressional District, has taken advantage of Food Export-Midwest’s Branded Program since the late 1990s. The program has helped them break into several markets including Trinidad and Tobago, Indonesia, Korea, Thailand, Trinidad, India and helped them increase their sales in Mexico. Currently they are exporting to over 40 countries around the world.

Seafood Company Excels in Exporting with Food Export-Northeast Support
Portland Processing LLC (dba Claw Island Foods), located in Portland, Maine, in the 1st Congressional District, has utilized MAP-funded programs and services over the past nine years to develop and expand international sales of Maine lobster, Jonah crab and coldwater shrimp. Claw Island has participated in seminars, European Seafood Expositions, Seafood Buyers Missions at the International Boston Seafood Show and the 2009 Gulfood Show, in Dubai. Through Food Export-Northeast they had the opportunity to meet pre-qualified international buyers interested in their products. Sales & Marketing Director Emily Lane says, 'As a small business with a limited marketing budget, the benefits of this program are huge. Our export sales have steadily increased over the past nine years from 5% to 40% of our total sales."

Iowa Company Breaks Into the Japanese Market With Support from the Branded Program
Sioux Honey Association in the 5th Congressional District of Iowa has used the cost-share support through the Branded Program to enter the market in Japan by receiving funding for tasting demonstrations, brochure translations and labeling. Export sales for the company have gone up 40% since they entered the market two years ago.

Island Creek Oysters Now Exporting to Hong Kong
Island Creek Oysters of Duxbury, Massachusetts, is now exporting their live oysters to Hong Kong through a buyer who saw their fresh oysters featured in U.S. Foodlink newsletter. The company later met with the buyer one-on-one during the 2008 Focused Trade Mission to Hong Kong for Food Service (a Food Export-Midwest-sponsored event). The company expects this one sale to exceed $100,000 by the end of 2009 and grow to $350,000-400,000 within the next two years. Food Export-Northeast’s Market Builder Program also helped the company conduct market research to determine that the Hong Kong market was a fit for their product. According to Shore Gregory, Director of Business Development for Island Creek Oysters, “Our ability to create these new markets during an economic downturn has been really important in helping to sustain the workforce of our farmers.”

Branded Program Helps Michigan Company Export Their Dried Fruit Across the Globe
Three years ago, Shoreline Fruit’s export sales were a very small part of the company’s overall business.  Today, thanks to cost-share funding support through the Branded Program, the Traverse City, Michigan-based company is exporting to Canada, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand. According to Joseph Lothamer, export sales manager for Shoreline Fruit, “Our export sales are now in the seven figures. With cost-share funding through the Branded Program, we’re able to attend international tradeshows and meet foreign buyers. Branded Program funds have also helped us with the cost of new marketing materials and tradeshow booths. Our new export sales are a direct result of the help we’ve received through the Branded Program.”

SIAL Paris Food Show PLUS!™ Reaps $2.8 Million in Actual Export Sales for U.S. Suppliers
October 19-23, 2008, during the SIAL Paris tradeshow, Food Show PLUS!™ tradeshow enhancement services were provided to help U.S. suppliers expand their export sales to the region. U.S. companies that participated in the event walked away with $2.8 million in actual export sales and more than $10 million in projected export sales! Companies reported 767 new buyer contacts and 13 new distributorships established. According to Ed Lopatin from Before and After Candy, “The support we received through Food Show PLUS!™ was invaluable. Thanks to  the on-site assistance provided during the show, we made several key new buyer contacts to distribute our product in France, Thailand, Singapore, UK, and Belgium. We are currently in the process of finalizing a sale with a new distributor in France worth $150,000-$175,000. Prior to this, we were selling our products through just one store in the country. As a result of the new contact we made, our product will be distributed in numerous stores throughout France!”

Mercer's Dairy Makes First-Time Export Sale to Jordan
July 24-25, 2008, Mercer’s Dairy, located in Booneville, New York, and their international agent, located in the Netherlands, attended the Midwest Buyers Mission in Chicago, Illinois. Through one-on-one meetings during the Buyers Mission, they made new buyer contacts in Japan, Korea, Panama, Jordan, and Dubai. The company is in the process of shipping a first-time export sale of their traditional ice cream products to Jordan—a minimum of ten pallets of ice cream, totaling $45,000.

Midwest Buyers Mission Helps Snack Company Break Into New Market
I n July 2008, Anton-Argires, Inc., located in Alsip, IL in Congressional District 1, participated in Food Export-Midwest’s Midwest Buyers Mission. The Mission included one-on-one meetings between U.S. suppliers and foreign buyers to help build business relationships and, ultimately, generate new export sales. During the Mission, the company met with international buyers from seven countries and established one new distributorship to the Caribbean. As a result of the meetings, Anton-Argires generated new actual export sales to Vietnam totaling $16,000. This marked the company’s first sale to Southeast Asia.

Hampton Popcorn Attends Northeast Buyers Mission and Lands Two Big Sales in Canada
While attending the 2008 Northeast Buyers Mission, Hampton Popcorn, located in New York, New York, landed two new sales in Canada, increasing their sales approximately 34 percent in 2008. The company is also in negotiations with the Netherlands and Santa Domingo as a result of new contacts made at the Northeast Buyers Mission. According to Arthur Kerr, Vice President and Director of Global Sales for Hampton Popcorn, “These sales give us a 60 percent market share for gourmet popcorn in the Canadian market. The Branded Program also helped us with bilingual labeling changes for Canada, point-of-sale materials, and in-store promotions. Sixty percent of our business now is in exports and we expect this to increase. We have more international shipments going out than domestic sales.”

Metzger Specialty Brands Makes First-Time Sales to Canada and Germany
Metzger Specialty Brands, located in New York, New York, made their first export sales to Canada in 2008 with support from the Branded Program. The company used Branded Program funding to help offset the cost of bilingual labeling for Canada, as well as in-store promotions, demonstrations, and shipping samples. Their export sales to the country have gone from nonexistent to $12,000 in 2008, and they expect this number to double in 2009. According to Tim Metzger, President of Metzger Specialty Brands, "This has been a very collaborative effort. Without the support of Food Export-Northeast, we could never have undertaken the promotional activities were doing in Canada. They help us defray some of the costs, making it all worthwhile."

Dr. Praegers Sensible Foods Uses Branded Program Funds to Expand in Canada and the UK
Dr. Praegers Sensible Foods, located in Elmwood Park, New Jersey, takes advantage of matching funds through the Branded Program to stretch their marketing dollars and, ultimately, increase their export sales. The company has used Branded Program funds to help lower the cost of changing their labeling to French in Canada, meet new labeling requirements in the UK, and to help offset the cost of exhibiting at international tradeshows. According to Larry Praeger, Vice President of Dr. Praegers, In 2008, we increased our export sales by 17.5 percent to Canada and by 12.5 percent to the UK thanks, in part, to support from the Branded Program. The cost-share program allows us to double our exposure in foreign markets because it makes our marketing budget go twice as far. Their support is especially critical with helping to offset the cost of new packaging required for labeling changes. Were able to launch twice as many new products in foreign markets because of the Branded Program!

Pennsylvania Company Grows Export Business With Help from a Variety of Food Export Programs and Services
Bell Export Foods Group, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has used cost-share funding from the Branded Program to help expand their export business in several international markets. In March 2008, the company participated in the Foodex Japan tradeshow with help from the Branded Program. Ron Davis, President of Bell Export Foods Group explained, The Branded Program provides us with matching funds to ship samples to tradeshows, like Foodex Japan. It also helped offset the cost of labeling changes when additional labeling was required by different countries. This assistance is extremely important to us and helpful in building our export business. Without assistance from the Branded Program we would be doing much less export business because it would be difficult and costly to ship samples to shows.

Branded Program Helps Select Soy, LLC Introduce Their Healthy Snacks to Canada
In 2008, Select Soy, LLC, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, began using the Branded Program to help promote their products in Canada through promotions, packaging and labeling changes, and point-of-sale materials. As a result, they made multiple first-time export sales to Canada resulting in an 18 percent increase in their export sales. According to Peter Assaly, Vice President of Select Soy, LLC, "If we didn’t have Branded Program support, it would be more difficult-they help us stretch our marketing budget to do more marketing to consumers. This is a great benefit to us. The Canadian consumer is knowledgeable and demanding. We manufacture a premium quality, heart-healthy, all-natural snack and bringing these wellness products to the health-conscious Canadian consumer has proven very successful. Through these new accounts, we've been able to secure additional customers."

Food Export Marketing Forum Creates Opportunities for U.S. Suppliers
April 27-29, 2008, in Chicago, Illinois, Food Export-Midwest and Food Export- Northeast hosted the Food Export Marketing Forum, which included the Food and Beverage Buyers Mission and a series of educational sessions to help U.S. suppliers increase export sales and learn more about international markets and the growing demand for U.S. products.

Fisher Nuts Export sales go nuts after attending Food and Beverage Buyers Mission 
In April 2008, Fisher Nuts, located in Elgin, Illinois, participated in the Food Export-Midwest-sponsored Food and Beverage Buyers Mission at the Food Export Marketing Forum and walked away with 30 new buyer contacts, a new distributorship, and $350,000 in new export sales! The event, which took place in Chicago, Illinois, included one-on-one meetings between U.S. suppliers and foreign buyers to help build business relationships and, ultimately, generate new sales. According to Paul Van Halteren, Director of International Sales for Fisher by John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc., We participated in the Food and Beverage Buyers Mission and would definitively participate in the next one. We made over 30 new customer contacts, met with new potential buyers from China and Korea, and established one new distributorship in Colombia. We also walked away with $350,000 in additional export sales generated from existing accounts and forecast an additional $250,000 in export sales from new business as a result of the Buyers Mission.