Success Stories

Long Road Distillers, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in the 3rd Congressional District, has had great market success with the help of Food Export Association of the Midwest and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s International Marketing Program.

In 2017, Blackwood Pet Food, LLC located in Lisbon, Ohio, in the 6th Congressional District, participated in Food Export’s Branded Program where they utilized $150,000 of the Market Access Program funding to help them create export sales over $3,450,000 in Taiwan, Malaysia, South Korea, Israel and Canada.

In 2017, American Pharmaceutical Innovations Company (AmPharma), located in Downers Grove, Illinois, in the 6th Congressional District, participated in Food Export’s Branded Program that helped them gain $2,750,000 in new export sales to Thailand and Egypt. In February, the supplier was able to report these new sales and also projected to complete $150,000 in sales over the next twelve months while also making 102 new contacts and gaining 2 new agent relationships. This was AmPharma’s first time exporting to Thailand.

In 2017, DEW - Drink Eat Well, LLC dba Hilary's Eat Well, located in Lawrence, Kansas in the 2nd Congressional District, continued to show tremendous export sales. This can be accredited to Food Export’s Market Access Program (MAP) funded Branded Program.

In September 2017, Cozy Harbor Seafood, located in Portland, Maine, in the 1st Congressional District, attended the USA Seafood Trade Mission to Southeast Asia where they participated in seafood market tours and met with buyers from Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia. As a result of their meetings, a buyer from Thailand has placed a first-time order of nearly 8,800 pounds (4,000 kgs) of various frozen lobster products. Not only was this a new buyer for Cozy Harbor, but a first time sale to the Thailand market.

Exhibiting at the 2016 Summer Fancy Foods Show with assistance from Food Export’s Branded Program funding, Cracked Candy LLC, a Brooklyn, New York Supplier, began contact with a buyer from Costa Rica. Interested in the unique, natural, sugar-free candy, the buyer and Flora Pringle, Founder of Cracked Candy, began interacting with the hope of exporting the candy to Costa Rica.

In September of 2017, Osage Food Products, located in Washington, Missouri, in the 3rd Congressional District, attended Food Export’s Focused Trade Mission to Mexico for Food Ingredients. While there, they interacted with multiple Mexican Buyers during prearranged meetings and had the opportunity to tour a production facility. In February 2018, just a few months later, they reported two new agent relationships and a successful sale of dairy ingredient products worth $200,000 as a result of the Trade Mission.

A six year participant of Food Export’s Market Access Program (MAP) funded Branded Program has helped Midland Park, New Jersey’s The Fatboy Cookie Company Inc. expand their cookie sales to many international markets. The 50% cost reimbursement Branded Program has helped alleviate some of the costs associated with product label changes/modifications when entering international markets for this gourmet cookie supplier.

In September of 2017, Unique Pretzel Bakery Inc. from Reading, Pennsylvania, attended Food Export’s Natural Products Expo East Buyers Mission where they met with buyers from Canada, Guatemala, Lithuania, Mexico, Qatar and South Korea. The introduction of their “Splits” pretzels was well received by the Buyers and conversations about the products being worked into the international markets continued post mission.

The Vermont Tortilla Company is a company on a definite mission to make unique and artisanal stone ground corn tortillas that are produced with 100% certified organic non-GMO corn that is sourced locally. In May of 2018, the company exhibited for the first time at the SIAL Canada trade show in Montreal hoping to gain presence in the Canadian marketplace.

An idea in 2009 helped create Brooklyn, New York based ProFormance Foods, Inc. Protes Protein Chips. This revolution protein-based chip is the product of two college friends who realized a need for protein based snacks that were different from the over-saturated market of protein bars and shakes.

Midwest Ag Enterprises, from Marshall, Minnesota has utilized Food Export’s Branded Program for seven years to expand and grow their export sales. Using the 50% cost reimbursement Market Access Program (MAP) funded program helps defer costs associated with exporting. Utilizing their allocated funds to attend VIV Asia Show helped the company promote their Nutrivance, SDP80, Anion Booster and Peptone 50 Animal Feed products.

In June 2017, John Zidian Co, Inc, from Youngstown, Ohio, in the 13th Congressional District, took advantage of the Food Export’s Market Access Program (MAP) funded Branded Program to continue its strong market promotion in Canada. The Ohio based company used the Branded Program to assist with label changes that would meet Canadian food regulations, in-store promotions, and advertising, among other promotions.

Joe Tea, located in Upper Montclair, New Jersey, in the 11th Congressional District, has participated in Food Export’s Market Access Program funded Branded Program since 2012 utilizing their allocated funds to grow and expand exports. Over the years the New Jersey Supplier has used their approved funding to assist with the expenses of exhibiting at international food tradeshows and to market their products overseas.

Fornazor International from Hillsdale, New Jersey is an agricultural commodity trading company which has developed a relationship with Food Export since 2011. The New Jersey Supplier started utilizing Food Export’s Market Access Program (MAP) funded Branded Program to alleviate some of the expenses of international marketing activities and still continues to do so as it is a great way to enter a new foreign market.

Hometown Bagel Inc. is the family owned business of Mike and Dawn Lally based in Alsip, Illinois. Since 1995, they have been selling quality bagels and bagel chips in the greater Chicago area. Today, their bagels and bagel chips can be found all over the world. By participating in Food Export programs and services since 2013, Hometown Bagel Inc. has been able to expand their export of bagel chips.

Participating in Food Export’s Market Access Program (MAP) funded Branded Program since 2010 has helped Michigan based Cherry Central Cooperative Inc. grow their export sales and brand awareness. Utilizing their allocated funds to exhibit at ANUGA in Germany during 2017 was a key in attaining their goal to increase sales with current customers and gain relationships with new customers in Germany.

Life Plus Style Gourmet, LLC is a small grocery wholesaler from Valley Stream, New York that was formed in 2013.The company manufacturers, designs, and packages gourmet food products including coffee, gourmet syrups, cocktail mixers, Himalayan salt, assorted spices and sugars, and recently launched Coney Island Popcorn. Life Plus Style Gourmet LLC has participated in Food Export’s Branded Program, Food Export Helpline™, Webinars, numerous Buyers Missions and Focused Trade Missions, and is increasing participation greatly in 2017.

Cooperative Elevator Co., based in Pigeon, Michigan has been using Food Export’s Market Access Program (MAP) funded Branded Program since 2007 to increase their international market share. Most recently the company has utilized their allocated funds to grow their export business to Mexico.

In 2017, Lafeber located in Cornell, Illinois in the 16th Congressional District, utilized Food Export’s Branded Program to exhibit at several major veterinary shows in Europe. As a result of exhibiting at these shows, they met over 130 foreign buyers; achieved actual sales of over $21,000, and made a first-time market sale to Italy.