Success Stories

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.

Utilization of the Market Access Program (MAP) funded Food Export Branded Program has helped Wisconsin based Muldoon Dairy expand exports for the past seven years. The program has assisted the supplier to grow their exports by 75% over the course of their Branded Program utilization.

Bassetts Ice Cream, a company from the 1st Congressional District, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a skillful exporter that has entered and explored the market of South Korea last year with the help of the Market Access Program (MAP) funded Food Export Branded Program.

Connoils is a global manufacturer, supplier and distributor of high quality natural, organic and nutritional Internally Stabilized Bulk Oils, Oil Powders, Softgels and Specialty Ingredients. This minority-owned company based in Waukesha, Wisconsin, is on the right path to seeing growth through exports.

JM Grain Inc. located in Garrison, North Dakota, utilized Food Export’s Market Access Program (MAP) funded Branded Program in 2017 with a market strategy to expand exports to the United Arab Emirates.

In July 2017, Albanese Confectionery Group, Inc. from Merrillville, Indiana attended Food Export’s Midwest Buyers Mission in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Prior to the event the Indiana Supplier reviewed the buyer list and chose the buyers they wanted to meet based on their company’s products and the businesses the buyers represented.

In 2017, Cleveland Kraut, from Cleveland, Ohio, participated in Food Export’s Market Access Program (MAP) funded Focused Trade Mission to Toronto for Specialty and Natural Products. Through their participation in this mission Cleveland Kraut found a broker for their products for the Canadian market.

SB Global Foods Inc. from Hatboro, Pennsylvania has been a Food Export USA – Northeast Branded Program participant since 1999. The company has used the 50% reimbursement funding for a variety of activities including making label modifications, advertising, conducting international trade seminars, freight charges and promotional displays.

Utilizing Food Export programs and services has helped Black Swan Gourmet BBQ Sauces gain international presence and expand their products into new markets. Black Swan credits much of their export success to the Food Export Helpline that guides them through the labyrinth of paperwork for shipping, custom processes and regulations.

Shire City Herbals has been an active participant in programs offered by Food Export since 2015. In 2017 Shire City Herbals participated in the Market Builder Program for the first time. Their participation in the Rep Finder program resulted in their meeting with a national distributor to carry their Fire Cider brand across Canada.

Good To-Go, a specialty food supplier based in Kittery, Maine has utilized Food Export’s Branded Program to export internationally for the first time in 2017. Good To-Go is a family owned business co-founded by spouses Jennifer Scism and David Koorits with a mission to provide healthy and tasty meals on the go.