How to Become a Successful Food and Beverage Exporter in 2023

Food and beverage export is a lucrative business that can bring you profits and satisfaction. However, it is not easy to enter this market and compete with established players. You need to have a clear strategy, a quality product, a reliable partner, and a strong marketing plan. In this article, we will share some tips on how to become a successful food and beverage exporter in 2023.

Tip 1: Identify your target market and customer

Before you start exporting your food and beverage products, you need to do some research on your potential markets and customers. You need to understand the demand, the preferences, the regulations, the competition, and the opportunities in each market. You also need to identify your ideal customer profile, such as their age, income, lifestyle, values, and needs. This will help you tailor your product, packaging, pricing, and promotion to suit their expectations.

Tip 2: Choose a quality product that meets the standards

The quality of your product is the most important factor that determines your success as an exporter. You need to ensure that your product meets the quality standards of your target market, as well as the international standards for food safety and hygiene. You also need to ensure that your product has a long shelf life, a good taste, a unique selling proposition, and a competitive edge over other products. You can source your product from reputable producers or manufacturers, or you can develop your own product with innovation and creativity.

Tip 3: Find a reliable partner that can handle the logistics

Exporting food and beverage products involves a lot of logistics, such as transportation, storage, customs clearance, documentation, insurance, and distribution. You need to find a reliable partner that can handle these aspects for you efficiently and cost-effectively. You can choose from different types of partners, such as distributors, agents, brokers, wholesalers, or retailers. You need to evaluate their experience, reputation, network, resources, and terms before you sign a contract with them.

Tip 4: Develop a strong marketing plan that can attract customers

Marketing is essential for any business, especially for exporters who want to reach new customers in different markets. You need to develop a strong marketing plan that can showcase your product’s benefits, features, and value proposition. You also need to use different marketing channels and tools, such as online platforms, social media, trade shows, exhibitions, sampling, advertising, and word-of-mouth. You need to monitor your marketing performance and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Tip 5: Keep up with the trends and challenges in the industry

The food and beverage industry is constantly changing and evolving due to various factors, such as consumer preferences, technology, innovation, competition, regulations, and environmental issues. You need to keep up with these trends and challenges and adapt your product and business accordingly. You need to be flexible, responsive, proactive, and innovative in order to survive and thrive in this industry.

Global demand for food and beverage exports in 2021

The food and beverage industry is one of the most important sectors of the global economy, providing essential products for human consumption and generating significant income and employment opportunities. According to the World Trade Organization, the value of world merchandise trade in food and beverages reached $1.6 trillion in 2020, accounting for 9.4% of total merchandise trade. The COVID-19 pandemic had a mixed impact on the industry, as some segments experienced increased demand due to lockdowns and stockpiling, while others faced disruptions in supply chains, logistics and consumer preferences.

Trends and drivers of food and beverage exports

The main factors that influence the demand for food and beverage exports are population growth, income levels, dietary patterns, exchange rates, trade policies, health and safety standards, environmental and social concerns, and technological innovations. In 2021, the global demand for food and beverage exports is expected to increase as the world economy recovers from the pandemic and trade flows resume. However, the pace and extent of the recovery will vary across regions and products, depending on the availability and distribution of vaccines, the easing of travel restrictions, the restoration of consumer confidence, and the resilience of producers and exporters.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the Americas region was the largest net exporter of food and beverages in 2019, with a surplus of $105 billion, followed by Europe with a surplus of $36 billion. Asia was the largest net importer of food and beverages, with a deficit of $176 billion, followed by Africa with a deficit of $49 billion. The United States and China were the main destinations for food and beverage exports from Canada in 2020, accounting for 76% and 4% of the total value respectively.

Opportunities and challenges for food and beverage exporters

The food and beverage industry are constantly evolving to meet the changing needs and preferences of consumers around the world. Some of the opportunities for food and beverage exporters in 2021 include:

Expanding into new markets or segments that have high growth potential or unmet demand, such as Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, or health-conscious, organic, vegan, gluten-free, or ethnic products.
Leveraging e-commerce platforms and digital marketing strategies to reach more customers online, especially during the pandemic when physical retail outlets are limited or closed.
Adopting innovative technologies and practices to improve product quality, safety, traceability, sustainability, efficiency, and competitiveness, such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, automation, or circular economy.

Some of the challenges for food and beverage exporters in 2021 include:

Complying with different regulatory frameworks and standards across countries or regions that affect market access, tariffs, quotas, subsidies, labelling, packaging, or certification requirements.
Managing risks associated with currency fluctuations, trade disputes, geopolitical tensions, natural disasters, climate change, pandemics, or cyberattacks that can disrupt supply chains or demand patterns.
Balancing supply and demand amid uncertainty and volatility in production costs, consumer incomes, preferences, or behaviors.

References:

https://www.fdf.org.uk/statsataglance.aspx

https://www.fdf.org.uk/about_fdf.aspx

http://www.fdf.org.uk/members_full.aspx

https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/statis_e/wts2021_e/wts2021_e.pdf

https://www.worldwidefoodexport.com/

https://www.trustpilot.com/categories/food_and_beverage_exporter