Food Export – Midwest and Food Export – Northeast’s mission has always been to help U.S. companies increase their export sales.  One of the main ways we do that is by attending and hosting events around the globe. 

In this monthly blog we highlight everywhere we went and everything we did during August 2022!

 

International Livestock, Dairy, Meat Processing and Aquaculture Exposition (ILDEX)
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
August 3 – 5, 2022 

Food Export supports the time of its In-Market Representatives to engage with importers and distributors in their markets to identify opportunities for U.S. exporters. In August, Food Export’s In-Market Representative for Vietnam, Francis Lee attended the International Livestock, Dairy, Meat Processing and Aquaculture Exposition (ILDEX) to stay on top of market trends and to maintain and grow connections with key players in Vietnam’s burgeoning feed ingredients sector. These meetings result in the development of trade leads which are shared by Food Export with U.S. exporters.

Food Export In-Market Representative Francis Lee with staff from the USDA/FAS offices in Vietnam.

Focused Trade Mission to Chile
Santiago, Chile
August 8 – 9, 2022

Food Export-Northeast’s first face-to-face trade mission to Chile since 2019 was incredibly popular among U.S. suppliers who sought to expand their exports to this sophisticated market where a free trade agreement with the U.S. is in force.  The mission began with a comprehensive market briefing which included presentations from Food Export-Northeast’s In-Market Representative for South America, River Global, and the USDA/Foreign Agricultural Service office in Santiago as well as a local importer who gave his perspective on market opportunities and best practices for doing business in Chile.  

The briefing was followed by retail tours where suppliers could explore the placement of their product category on Chilean retailers’ shelves.  A full day of one-one meetings and a trade reception followed these stage-setting activities, leaving the suppliers well-prepared to discuss their products’ unique selling points for the Chilean market.  

U.S. participants in the Focused Trade Mission to Chile gather for a photo after the market briefing.

Representative from Chilean retailer, Jumbo, speaks to U.S. supplier participants as part of the mission’s retail tour.

Focused Trade Mission to Colombia
Bogota, Colombia
August 10 – 12, 2022

U.S. exporters were given an efficient way to explore two South American markets within one trip through back-to-back trade missions held in Chile and Colombia in early August, with many of the Chile mission participants continuing on to Colombia.  The essence of the Colombia mission was similar to the one in Chile — and all of Food Export’s missions — with the aim of giving suppliers a concentrated exposure to the market and introduction to key contacts, all with the support of Food Export’s market expert, our In-Market Representative.  

U.S. suppliers have already reported US$5.5 million in actual sales as a report of the Colombia mission.

One-on-one meetings with Colombian buyers formed the heart of the mission activities.

A trade luncheon gave suppliers a chance to continue conversations started in the one-on-one meetings.

National Black Chamber of Commerce/ Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce National and State Convention
Peoria, IL
August 16 – 18, 2022

Food Export–Midwest reached out to attendees at the National Black Chamber of Commerce/Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce National and State Convention.  In collaboration with the U.S. Commercial Service, Food Export shared a table where attendees of the conference could learn about the resources available for small businesses interested in learning more about the benefits of exporting, such as increasing sales, benefitting from economies of scale and reducing business risk.  The many benefits tie in well with the Convention’s theme of “Embracing the Spirit of Entrepreneurship”.

Photo of the shared display for Food Export-Midwest, Food Export-Northeast and the U.S. Commercial Service.

Fred Anderson, Chair of the International Committee for the National Black Chamber of Commerce with Molly Burns, Branded Program Manager, Food Export-Midwest