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South Korea In-Store Promotions
Focused Trade Missions to China and Hong Kong for Retail Products
You’ve Decided to Export, What’s Next Seminar
U.S. Soy and Specialty Grains Conference
Central America Importer Seminars – Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras
Great American Culinary Camp 2019
Seoul, South Korea
August 1 – 14
Food Export – Midwest, with the help of our In-Market Representative in South Korea, partnered with high-end department store, Shingsegae, and a Korean importer to create the American Food Festival in two locations, Seoul and Kyunggido from August 1st to 14th.
The Seoul location had more than 30 separate kiosks displaying and serving food products from American suppliers. Some of the products represented include. American Lobster, candy, U.S. wine, beverages, ice cream, cheese, and various snack foods, sauces, and seasonings. The promotion was very successful and was even featured on a local news channel, and in more than 75 articles in 25 different media news sources online and in print!
U.S. products on display at the Food Export – Midwest info booth during the American Food Festival
Food Export Sign at the American Food Festival
More products of the U.S.A. on display at the American Food Festival
Products of the U.S.A. continued
American lobster sample prepared for those attending the American Food Festival
Beijing & Hangzhou, Hong Kong
August 11 – 17
Food Export – Midwest and Food Export – Northeast held two back to back Trade Missions starting in China and then traveling to Hong Kong. The trade mission began in Beijing with a retail tour so the participating U.S. suppliers could learn more about the market first hand and see similar products on display. Tour stops included 7 Fresh, Jenny Lou’s and BHG Market Place. There is no better way to understand the local food industry than by visiting the stores and seeing what’s on the shelves.
All of the participating U.S. suppliers received a market briefing from Foreign Agricultural Service’s (FAS) Agricultural Trade Office (ATO) in Beijing which took place at the U.S. embassy. The suppliers were very happy with the market briefing and had a chance to ask a lot of questions. It was a lively discussion.
After the briefing, everyone headed back to the hotel for the one-on-one meetings with local Chinese buyers. The suppliers found their one-on-one meetings to be very beneficial and everyone was very positive about their meetings.
Beijing
Food Export staff, activity coordinators, and participating suppliers in front of the U.S. embassy in Beijing
Food Export – Midwest Liaison Enrique at the one-on-one meetings in Beijing
Food Export Activity Coordinator Betsy Riggs and one of our Chinese IMR’s
Food Export staff, activity coordinators, and participating suppliers on a retail tour in Beijing
Retail Tour continued
Checking out the available seafood during the retail tour
Hangzhou
Next the group headed to Hangzhou for another retail tour, a market briefing, one-on-one meetings, a networking reception and an educational meeting at the headquarters for online retailer Alibaba.
Food Export staff, activity coordinators, and participating suppliers outside of Alibaba’s headquarters
Food Export staff, activity coordinators, and participating suppliers inside of Alibaba’s headquarters
U.S. suppliers participating in a Market Briefing about the Chinese market
Group of buyers and suppliers that participated in the Trade Mission
Hong Kong
After a successful trip to Hanghzou, the participating U.S. suppliers then traveled to Hong Kong for an additional retail tour including a stop at a wet market and one-on-one meetings with Hong Kong importers. Being so close to China, Hong Kong is a vitally important market for U.S. suppliers looking to increase their presence in the Asian market and has a lot of opportunities for U.S. suppliers.
Retail Tour in Hong Kong
Retail tour continued
Retail tour continued
Networking Reception in Hong Kong
One-on-one meetings between U.S. suppliers and local buyers
One-on-one meetings continued
One-on-one meetings continued
Taipei, Taiwan
August 14
Food Export – Midwest and Food Export – Northeast hosted an Importer Seminar in Taipei, Taiwan on August 14th to educate local buyers about U.S. products and Food Export’s programs and services. Our In-Market Representative from Taiwan organized the event and it was very well attended. It was a very interactive seminar with importers asking a lot of questions during the Q&A section.
Food Export – Midwest Liaison Enrique Rubio traveled to Taiwan to present about Food Export’s Programs and Services at the seminar.
As always our series of Importer Seminars is made possible by our recent funding from the Agricultural Trade Promotion Program (ATP) and allows us to educate a large number of international buyers about U.S. food and ag suppliers, trends, and products.
Importer Seminar in Taiwan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
August 13
Food Export – Midwest and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development teamed up to host an educational seminar titled “You’ve Decided to Export, What’s Next” in Grand Rapids on August 13th.
Food Export HelplineTM Counselor Dennis Lynch was on hand to help educate Michigan-based food and ag suppliers about how to get started exporting their products. Several Michigan companies also presented their Success Stories about how they’ve found success using Food Export – Midwest programs to increase their international efforts.
Food Export – Midwest and Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development pop up banners
Food Export HelplineTM Counselor Dennis Lynch presenting to Michigan suppliers
Chicago, Illinois
August 22
Food Export – Midwest Branded Program Manager Molly Burns and International Marketing Program Senior Coordinator Brendan Wilson attended the U.S. Soy and Specialty Grains Conference in Chicago on August 22nd. Molly gave a presentation about how U.S. suppliers can take advantage of the Food Export Branded Program to help with their international marketing efforts.
Food Export – Midwest Branded Program Manager Molly Burns presenting
Molly presenting continued
Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras
August 26 – 30
Food Export – Midwest International Marketing Program Senior Coordinator Brendan Wilson traveled to Central America to participate in three Food Export Importer Seminars in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras to help educate local importers about our programs and services.
The seminars were well attended by local importers, totaling over 180 individuals, eager to learn more about the U.S. suppliers we work with and how our programs and services can help them introduce even more U.S. products into their market.
U.S. products have a very strong reputation in Central American markets, and with the advantages for the CAFTA-DR Free Trade Agreement, there are many benefits for U.S. suppliers to explore the market. Many of the importers have well established infrastructure in place to bring in new U.S. products, with consolidators placed in Miami that allow suppliers to break into the market with smaller shipments.
Guatemala
Guatemala City
Guatemala Importer Seminar
Guatemala Importer Seminar presentations
Food Export – Midwest International Program Senior Coordinator Brendan Wilson presenting
El Salvador
San Salvador
El Salvador Importer Seminar with local buyers
Food Export – Midwest International Program Senior Coordinator Brendan Wilson presenting
Honduras
Food Export – Midwest staff and IMR’s in front of Food Export sign
Food Export – Midwest staff and IMR’s being interviewd
Food Export – Midwest International Program Senior Coordinator Brendan Wilson presenting
Seoul, South Korea
August 29
Food Export’s In-Market Representatives in South Korea took part in the Great American Culinary Camp 2019 at the Hilton in Seoul on August 29th. Over 180 people attended the event to learn and sample a variety of U.S. products including American lobster from the Northeast U.S.
Read more about the event in this article by Food News (note that the article is in Korean but can be translated with some internet browsers, and the photos are helpful).
Great American Culinary Camp 2019
Promoting American lobster in South Korea
Food Export’s IMR for South Korea talking to local buyers about seafood
Local Korean buyers finding out more info about U.S. Lobster
COMING UP IN SEPTEMBER
U.S. – Japan Natto Summit – September 3 – 5
USDA Agri-Business Trade Mission to Canada – September 3 – 6
Bakery Ingredients Buyers Mission at the International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) – September 7
Seafood Trade Mission to the Middle East – September 7 – 9
Food Show PLUS!™ at Fine Foods Australia – September 8 – 13
FAS Regional Workshop – South Africa – September 9 – 11
NASDA Annual Meeting/MW Board Meeting – September 9 – 12
Focused Trade Mission to Chile – September 9 – 11
Focused Trade Mission to Peru – September 12 – 13
Natural Products Buyers Mission at 2019 Natural Products Expo East – September 11 – 13
New England Made Tradeshow – September 10 – 11
FAS Regional Workshop – South Asia – September 17 -18
FAS Regional Workshop – North Asia – September 18 -20
Importer Seminar – Thailand – September 18
NE Seafood Event at US Embassy in Spain – September 23
America’s Food and Beverage Show – September 23 – 24
Food Show PLUS!™ at Food Technology Summit & Expo – September 24 – 26
Shellfish Inbound Buyers Mission – September 30 – October 2