From a first-time sale with a freshly gained distributor to record sales at a trade show, we celebrate the many paths of success achieved by our participating companies exporting from the U.S.
Northwest Hazelnut Company, a small agribusiness from Oregon, is keeping Oregon-grown hazelnuts in front of international buyers by participating in the 2018 FundMatch Program. FundMatch is coordinated by the Western United States Agricultural Trade Association (WUSATA) and funded by the USDA’s Market Access Program (MAP). During 2018, they attended the SIAL China trade show, which is a key opportunity to stay in front of their customer base and promote value-added products, such as processed nut forms.
During a series of face-to-face meetings with buyers, the small company met with a new distributor and secured their first order for fresh Washington cherries. The initial air-shipped orders were completed in the summer of 2019 and have generated new revenue valued at nearly $28,000. S.A. International expects to continue doing business with this distributor for future crop harvests.
By using FundMatch, they were able to double sales in the UK from 2017 to 2018 by launching a direct-to-consumer approach that works particularly well in the UK and Europe. JaceyCakes also uses FundMatch to exhibit at trade shows that attract large numbers of international buyers, such as Expo West.
They were able to attend the show in 2019 by using WUSATA’s cost-matching program FundMatch, which is also funded by MAP. With a new distributor in place in the UAE, Caffe D’Vita has increased sales in the Middle East 100% over the previous year, and they expect that growth to continue into 2020.
Bell-Carter Foods is a family-owned table olive and olive oil supplier from Lafayette, California. Since international accounts can develop from any number of network connections, they make sure to participate in outbound trade missions coordinated by the Global Connect program of the Western United States Agricultural Trade Association (WUSATA), and funded through the USDA’s Market Access Program (MAP). One unexpected but welcome customer that resulted from the 2018 USDA Outbound Trade Mission to Taiwan is Costco in mainland China.
NOH Foods of Hawaii is a minority-owned seasoning and sauce manufacturer based in Honolulu, HI. After participating in the 2018 Australia Inbound Trade Mission to Natural Products Expo West, they gained a line on a distributor from Australia who also serves Canada and Europe.
Alaska Hardy Peony had a successful introduction to buyers from Canada during the 2019 Canada Nursery Inbound Trade Mission to Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii. The trade mission was coordinated by the Global Connect program of the Western United States Agricultural Trade Association (WUSATA), and funded through the USDA’s Market Access Program (MAP). The small family-operated agribusiness, based in Fritz Creek, started working with two new retail distributors in Canada as a result of attending the mission and has completed $10,000 to date in sales for their premium cut peonies.
To increase the number of sales channels in key Middle Eastern markets, Primex attended the Gulfood Trade Show in February 2020. They exhibited in a pavilion coordinated by the Global Connect program of the Western United States Agricultural Trade Association (WUSATA) and funded through the USDA’s Market Access Program (MAP).