Now that the world is getting back to ‘normal’ and we are going back to in-person events we thought it would be a good time to bring back our Monthly Recap Blog!
In this blog we will highlight the events we attended and hosted last month.
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.
Take a look at everywhere we went and everything we did during March 2022 below!
Natural Products Expo West
Natural Products Buyers Mission
Anaheim, California
March 8 – 11
Food Export – Midwest hosted a Natural Products Buyers Mission in partnership with the Organic Trade Association at the 2022 Natural Products Expo West Show.
This was one of our first Buyers Missions that took place in-person since March of 2020 when the pandemic began!
We had 27 U.S. suppliers and 19 international suppliers participate in the event. The buyers came from all over the world, Australia (x2), Brazil, Canada, Colombia, French Antilles, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Kuwait, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Vietnam (x2).
It was a great first big event back to gear up for all the other in person events we have planned this year!
A look at our orientation presentation that all buyers attend before the event starts.
In-person one-on-one meetings at the Buyers Mission.
In-person one-on-one meetings at the Buyers Mission continued.
Seafood Expo North America
Raise your Market Intelligence – Meet with International In-Market Reps
Boston, Massachusetts
March 13 – 15
Food Export – Northeast headed back to Boston this year for the annual Seafood Expo North America trade show! This is one of the biggest events of the year for our Seafood Program and a great opportunity for our Northeast U.S. Seafood companies to meet with international buyers.
The day before the show began we hosted a Lobster Products and Jonah Crab Educational Day at the culinary kitchen of Boston University. Maine lobsterman Brian Rapp came to give a hands-on demonstration about Northeast seafood for our international buyers.
Also new this year, we brought our In-Market Representatives (IMRs) from China, Germany, Mexico, Singapore, Spain, and the United Kingdom to the show for a new event where U.S. suppliers could have one-on-one meetings with the IMRs on the show floor. It was a great opportunity for suppliers looking to learn more about specific international markets.
A look at the Culinary Kitchen at Boston University for the Educational Day before Seafood Expo North America.
A close-up of an authentic Northeast U.S. lobster.
Buyers also got the chance to taste test different U.S. seafood products, pictured here is Jonah Crab.
A look at the trade show floor of Seafood Expo North America.
Focused Trade Mission to Panama
ExpoCOMER Trade Show
Panama City, Panama
March 21 – 22
Food Export held our first in-person Trade Mission of 2022 in Panama!
7 U.S. suppliers traveled to Panama to meet Maddie Smith, International Marketing Program Coordinator at Food Export – Northeast and Emily Jerve, Marketing Supervisor at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture who was the Activity Coordinator for the event. Our local In-Market Representatives coordinated the event and helped connect U.S. suppliers with local buyers.
After the mission concluded our staff then attended the ExpoCOMER trade show that was taking place at the same time in Panama City. There was a Food Export booth at the event, and they even had the chance to meet with the U.S. Ambassador to Panama, Charge d’Affairs Stewart Tuttle.
A look at a typical Panamanian grocery store aisle during the Trade Mission’s retail tour.
Maddie Smith, International Marketing Program Coordinator at Food Export – Northeast and Emily Jerve, Marketing Supervisor at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture with Peter Olson from FAS at the Food Export booth on the show floor.
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Charge d’Affairs Stewart Tuttle (center in grey suit), with others from the U.S. Embassy and Food Export staff.
SIAL America
Food and Beverage Buyers Mission
Las Vegas, Nevada
March 22 – 24
Food Export Liaisons headed to Las Vegas for the first ever installment of the SIAL America show!
In conjunction with the show we hosted a Food and Beverage Buyers Mission. We had 9 international suppliers that participated in the event coming from Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Peru, and Singapore (x2).
It was a great first installment of the show and we can’t wait to see what future years have in store.
Food Export Liaisons Apryl King, Bryce Krull, and Liaison Manager Paul Weiss at the Food Export booth on the show floor of SIAL America with representatives from the Missouri Department of Agriculture who also attended the show.
The event was held at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
A group shot of the international buyers that came to attend the Buyers Mission and the show.
Global Pet Expo
Pet Food Buyers Mission
Orlando, Florida
March 23 – 25
Food Export made its return to Orlando this year for the first Global Pet Expo in 2 years! We had a booth on the show floor with information on how companies could utilize our programs and services to help grow their international export sales.
We also hosted a Pet Food Buyers Mission in partnership with the American Pet Products Association with 14 U.S. suppliers participating in the opportunity to meet with a variety of international buyers.
Molly Burns, Branded Program Manager at Food Export – Midwest, Colleen McCardle, International Marketing Program Associate at Food Export – Northeast, Suzanne Ryan-Numrich, International Trade Director at the Kansas Department of Agriculture and Paul Sorenson, Liaison at Food Export – Midwest at the Food Export booth on the show floor of the Global Pet Expo.
An inside look at the one-on-one meetings between U.S. suppliers and International buyers looking for pet food products.
Northeast Buyers Mission
Boston, New York, Philadelphia
March 28 – 31
The Northeast Buyers Mission made its return in March 2002 after missing it in 2021!
As usual we kicked off the mission in Boston Massachusetts with one-on-one meetings between U.S. suppliers and the 13 international buyers that we brought to the event. After Boston we headed to the New York City area where one-on-one meetings continued. And the third and final stop of the week long event was help in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania just a few blocks from the Food Export – Northeast headquarters.
All three stops were very successful for U.S. suppliers and international buyers alike. And it was great to be able to return to an activity we haven’t been able to have for a couple years.
A firm handshake to kick off a one-on-one meeting between a buyer and supplier.
All smiles between U.S. supplier and international buyers as they learn more about each other and explore business opportunities.
Food Export – Northeast Liaison Deborah Ingravallo meets with a U.S. supplier to talk about their exporting goals and plans.
A U.S. supplier happily shows off their display table with samples that they set up for one-on-one meetings with international buyers.
Coming Up Next Month
Keep an eye out on social media for all of these events that we have planned for April 2022!