In times of difficulty, think outside the box.
Now may not seem a good time to think about increasing (or starting) exports from UK to other countries. Brexit has slowed development of sales to Europe and Covid has affected our development of sales here and further afield.
Surely, all countries are in the same boat? Yes, but some are further ahead in recovery than the UK – perhaps because their problems started earlier, or because they were not hit as hard. Although opportunities for sales growth are temporarily constrained for the UK, this doesn’t mean there are no opportunities – one answer is to look abroad
With Coronavirus, Far Eastern countries were hit first, and often hardest. However, this also means they are now among the first to recover. My experience of the Far East, especially of China, suggests opportunities are increasing there by the day. The signs are that they are recovering rapidly – much faster than western markets”
Taking China as an example, fast recovery, alone, is attractive to Western exporters. However, there are extra advantages which UK companies are particularly well-placed to grasp.
- There is a large and concentrated population within China of high-income consumers who favour Western foods, particularly those foods regarded as luxury or special items. These are the very items which they are, now, temporarily, denied
- High-income consumers in China are concentrated in a few areas associated with points of import (mostly seaports). Even though these are relatively tew, the populations of their catchment areas are huge.
- Chinese consumers favouring western foods are concentrated in the better developed cities and provinces, with better access to imported goods
- British products are seen as desirable among Chinese consumers as they are associated with our history and culture – seen as attractive.
Sinofoods was founded by a UK food professional with over 25 years’ experience in China (as a long-term resident) preceded by a similar period in food manufacturing and technology in the UK. Associated with food and regulatory experts within China and SE Asia, we are well positioned to help western companies to succeed in China.
For many food products, import into China is simple. However, there are many, often minor, differences in regulations between the two markets which seem to present impenetrable barriers. Most of these are simply based on a lack of understanding of each other’s food cultures and, therefore, regulations.
Before embarking upon a ‘Chinese adventure’ it is essential that any obstacles or roadblocks are identified in advance; with many products there will only be one chance to get it right! At Sino Food we specialise in advising companies through the various phases of product design, manufacture, labelling and import. Once this part is correct and the product is right for the China market, we can also, if required, help with the importing, customs issues, etc. through partner organisations based in China.
For an initial, no commitment discussion of the opportunities for your company, or for more information on the way forward, please contact me at [email protected]