Success Stories

American Pharmaceutical Innovations Company (AmPharma) started utilizing Market Access Program Branded Program funds in 2016 with the hopes of expanding exports. Already being a strong market leader in the Middle East, North Africa and Asia with consumer for poultry products the Downers Grove, Illinois Supplier had a goal to increase sales to 3-4 million annually over the next few years.

During 2016 American Pop Corn Company utilized Food Export’s Branded Program funding to penetrate the retail popcorn market in Qatar. After using their allocated funding for product advertising, promotional displays and in-store promotion events, American Pop Corn was able to achieve their goal. Achieving actual sales of over $150,000 for their JOLLY TIME® Pop Corn was strongly due to the assistance of the Branded Program.

Utilizing the Market Access Program (MAP) funding through Food Export’s Branded Program has helped increase exports for West Pittston, Pennsylvania based iGourmet LLC dba Delori Foods for the third year in a row. Utilizing the 50% cost reimbursement program to reduce the cost of exhibiting at international tradeshows has helped the Pennsylvania supplier maximize their show presence. With

In January of 2017, Global Palate DBA White Oak Farm & Table, located in Westport, Connecticut, in the 4th Congressional District, attended Food Export’s Northeast Buyers Mission where they met a buyer from Canada. In July of 2017, they made a sale of four palates of Non-GMO/Organic condiments.

In July 2016, Seven Sundays, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the 5th Congressional District, used Food Export-Midwest Branded Program funds to exhibit at the Summer Fancy Food show in New York. As a result of exhibiting at the show, they met 10 foreign buyers and had actual export sales of $25,000.

Michael’s Bakery Products of Clear Lake, Iowa utilized Food Export’s programs and services to help them expand their international business into Japan. They achieved this by participating in Food Export’s Focused Trade Mission to Japan in October 2016 followed by exhibiting at the FoodEx Japan show in March 2017. To help offset the costs of travel and booth fees for these events, they utilized Food Export’s Branded Program for 50% reimbursement.

In April of 2017, East Coast Seafood., from Topsfield, Massachusetts, traveled to Brussels, Belgium to take part of the Seafood Expo Global. Each year the company participates in the Food Export’s Branded Program, to maximize their attendance at the show and grow exports. The Seafood Expo Global is of particular importance to East Coast, as the three day event serves as the annual meeting place for export contacts all over the world. Much of the company’s export growth can be attributed to the show and Food Export services, such as providing a home in the US Pavilion, online catalog leads, translation services and in-depth country repots when needed.

In 2016, Unique Pretzel Bakery Inc. located in Reading, PA, in the 6th Congressional District, attended Food Export’s Natural Products Expo West Buyers Mission where they met with multiple international buyers. As a result, they made a sale of $24,408. In addition, the company gained two new foreign contacts, two new agent relationships and added new staff members to their team.

NatureStar Foods, Inc. dba Plocky's Fine Snacks, from Hinsdale, Illinois, has utilized Food Export programs and services for almost ten years. Plocky’s Fine Snacks are veterans when it comes to exporting their products. Over the past five years, Plocky’s has exported to Canada, China, Dubai, Indonesia, Israel, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and the Caribbean Islands - expanding their international sales and experience. Since 2010, Plocky’s has participated in Food Export Buyers Missions, Webinars, the Food Export Helpline™, Online Product Catalog, Food Show PLUS!™, and the Branded Program.

Death’s Door Spirits, based in Middleton, Wisconsin, began in 2005 as a means to bring agriculture and a sustainable economy to Washington Island, Wisconsin. Distilling since 2007, Death’s Door uses all of the winter wheat grown on the island in its spirits, and harvests juniper berries for its Gin. Death’s Door is one of the original craft spirits manufacturers in the United States and is proud to continue its commitment to the families on the island and to produce exceptional award-winning spirits.

In February of 2017, Safie Specialty Foods Company, located in Chesterfield, Michigan in the 10th Congressional District, attended the Focused Trade Mission to Vancouver for Specialty, Natural, and Private Label Products where they had one-on-one meetings with qualified buyers from the Canadian Market. During the event, they made a sale of their pickled products worth $25,000.

Acme Organics LLC is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the 5th Congressional District; and is a manufacturer/processor of Triple Crown Organic BBQ sauces in the sauces and purees market segment. During 2016, Acme Organics utilized funds from the Branded Program that they used to market their products in Austria, Denmark, United Arab Emirates, and France. During 2015 they reported having no export sales, but in 2016 they reported their export sales having jumped to $45,000 while utilizing Branded Funds. In 2017 they expanded from four markets to seven, adding Sweden, Japan, Norway, Taiwan and South Korea and continuing in Denmark and United Arab Emirates. They have projected sales of at least $10,000 in six different countries with one of those countries reaching $85,000 in projected sales; making for a grand total of $145,000 in projected sales due to 2016 Branded efforts. Two of those six countries represented the company’s first time sale to market and three of the sales represented a 20% increase in sales for the company. During 2016 Acme Organics also created a dozen new foreign contacts.

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 2015.

Within the past few years, BobbySue’s Nuts, located in Chappaqua, NY (the 17th Congressional District), has participated in Food Export’s Branded Program where they gained knowledge to help understand and prepare for exporting. Through the Market Access Program (MAP) funded Branded Program, they have developed relationships with two distributors in Canada which they send product to regularly as well as an affiliation with a large purchaser in Asia. In 2016, they had a 400% increase in sales outside of the U.S. and hope to at least double that number again by the end of 2017.

In July 2017, Roman Meal Company, one of the four Dakota Specialty Enterprises, Inc. companies, located in Fargo, North Dakota, met with potential buyers in South Korea through the Food Export Association Rep Finder service. The Rep Finder service facilitates direct meetings between companies and a select group of targeted importers. Dakota Specialty Enterprises, Inc. is already engaging in further business discussions with the potential South Korean buyers.

In 2013 Brown University students Gabi Lewis and Greg Sewitz ordered 2,000 live crickets to their campus apartment in the quest to create a healthy, delicious, and socially-responsible protein bar. They quickly discovered a recipe for a protein bar made with cricket flour that packed a lot of protein into few calories and Exo, Inc. was born.

SBFK Inc. (Sugar Bob’s Smoked Maple Syrup) from Londondery, Vermont is a small, “family and friends” maple sugaring operation. With a unique process for their sweet, smoky maple syrup they use a gentle infusing of the richest and darkest pure maple syrup with hardwood smoke.

In May of 2017, several US Companies participated in a Focused Trade Mission to Taiwan for Retail and Food Service Products. The two-day mission exposed the companies to pre-arranged one-on-one meetings with qualified Taiwanese Buyers, a market briefing and a tour of Taiwan’s major retail stores.

Hauppauge, New York-based business Clever Cookie utilizes Food Export’s Market Access Program (MAP) funded Branded Program to help expand their export sales. In 2016, the company focused their export efforts on Canada because they saw trends there were mirroring those happening in the United States and both countries had similar needs. Clever Cookie was able to report sales of $816,000 last year due to contacts made at trade shows and funding and support received through Food Export.

In 2017, Grandma Mae’s Country Naturals, located in several different sectors of New York including Congressional Districts 12 and 22, attended Interzoo, a worldwide trade show in Germany where they developed relationships with Hong Kong as well as an affiliation with another important overseas market which is projected to procure $500,000 in revenues starting in 2018. In addition, between the first half of 2016 and the first half of 2017, their export business has tripled due to the extensive use of MAP between Hong Kong and South Korean distributors.