USDA - FAS - Buying U.S. Products - America The Bountiful Newsletter

Buying U.S. Products

U.S. Department of Agriculture - Foreign Agricultural Service

America The Bountiful

April 2003

America The Bountiful is an on-line quarterly publication by FAS to provide international buyers with news and information about U.S. food and agriculture products, companies and associations.

Feature Article

SUSTA - Go South!

Looking for cool cucumbers? Mighty blueberries? Perfect peaches? SUSTA has the quality produce and nuts you are looking for!

The Southern United States Trade Association's (SUSTA) "Go South" promotion offers quality products from the Southern United States. Growers and shippers in 16 U.S. states from Maryland to Florida to Texas are partners in this initiative which targets retail customers in Ontario, Canada.

"Go South! For Quality Produce from the Southern U.S.!" is a symbol of excellence. When you see this logo in your produce department it is an indication of the pride and tender loving care that each of our growers and shippers put into supplying you with the finest, freshest produce and nuts the Southern U.S. has to offer.

"Go South" offers 19 products: blueberries, cabbage (red and savoy), cantaloupe, celery, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, green peppers, Honeydew melons, Keitt mangoes, leafy greens (collards, kale, dandelion greens, swiss chard), peaches, pecans, spinach, strawberries, sweet onions, sweet potatoes and zucchini.

Their Web site, http://www.gosouthproduce.com contains information for consumers on these commodities including what to look for, storage information, facts, quick tips, nutrition, growing season and state of origin.

For international buyers, a list of growers and shippers is available on-line at http://www.gosouthproduce.com/Industry/Retail_Wholesale_Trade/Shippers_List_Pages.pdf.

Go South today!

Featured Exporter

Graceland Fruit, Inc.

Organic Exports!

Graceland Fruit features dried organic blueberries and cranberries. (Company does offer a wide range of other dried whole or sliced/diced conventionally produced berries.) The blueberries and cranberries are certified organic by Oregon Tilth in the U.S. and by the Japanese Agricultural Society (JAS) in Japan.

About the Company:

Graceland Fruit, Inc. has been a pioneer in food manufacturing and the tart cherry industry since 1973 and has a long tradition of innovation. The privately owned company holds several patents! Today Graceland Fruit continues to manufacture extraordinary fruit and vegetable ingredients that are used in products like breads, muffin mixes, bagels, trail mixes, ice cream, frozen dough and many other consumer goods. The company is one of the largest infused drying companies in the U.S.

Exports

Graceland Fruit exports to all of Southeast Asia and Europe. They have been particularly pleased with their success in Japan and the U.K. Most of their major accounts are industrial but they also can do a range of packaging for retail. More than 20% of their sales are export. Don Nugent, President of the Graceland Fruit sees a future in increased sales of product overseas stating that, "Export is very much a part of our growth." Graceland Fruit invites potential customers to learn more about their product line by visiting them at the various trade shows they attend such as IFT, SIAL, FI Asia, and Foodex Tokyo.

Innovating!

Interest in Graceland Fruit's growing portfolio of fruit ingredients continues to expand in the U.S. and abroad. In June 2002, Graceland Fruit successfully unveiled two new fruit ingredients - infused dried lemon and orange peel during the IFT (Institute of Food Technologists) show in New Orleans, LA.

What The Customer Wants

Graceland Fruit realizes that customization is extremely important to the ingredient market. Piece size, piece count, flowability, flavor and appearance are just a few of the many variables that may be of concern to the end-user or buyer. Graceland Fruit has responded to this need through active research and development and innovative technology. In addition, the sales and marketing staff is always interested in working with foreign buyers to meet their specifications. As Nugent states, "We want to manufacture what the customer wants." Graceland Fruit prides itself on being a privately owned company that is large enough to meet demand but is small enough to be able to respond to opportunities quickly.

Contact the Company

Visit the Graceland Fruit Web site at http://www.gracelandfruit.com

Contact: Suzi Mills, Sales and Marketing Manager, smills@gracelandfruit.com, Phone: (231) 352-7181, Fax: (231) 352-4711.

Featured Events

U.S. Food Export Showcase at the National Restaurant Association Show

The National Restaurant Association Show will be held May 17-20, 2003 in Chicago, Illinois. The NRA show has repeatedly been a successful formula for doing business in the foodservice industry for 84 years. The show has a huge gathering of approximately 2,000 exhibiting companies, 4,100 international guest, and 75,000 total registration. Over 850 product categories are presented at this show. Nearly 100 countries are represented and 50 educational programs are designed for both exhibitors and buyers. In addition to the educational programs, a different event will occur every day, including the keynote address from the former New York Mayor, Rudy Giuliani. This show serves as an excellent opportunity for any importer in the foodservice industry. For more information visit http://www.restaurant.org/show.

U.S. Food Export Showcase at the Food Marketing Institute Convention

The Food Marketing Institute Show will be held May 4-6, 2003, in Chicago, Illinois. The show features over 1,500 exhibitors and offers 30 plus educational workshops. This annual event is attended by a worldwide audience of professionals with an interest in the food distribution industry from CEO's through store level management. If you are looking to 1) find new and innovative products, 2) expand your networking opportunities, and/or 3) attend excellent educational seminars, the FMI show will cater to all your needs. FMI partners include the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) and the National Association for Specialty Food Trade (NASFT). Don't miss this great opportunity to meet quality U.S. companies. For more information visit http://www.fmi.org/events/may.

Upcoming International Trade Shows

Looking for quality U.S. food and agricultural products? Visit the U.S.A. Pavilion at these upcoming shows!

European Seafood Exposition	May 6-8	Brussels, Belgium
Hofex	May 6-9	Hong Kong
World's Finest Foods	June 3-4	Mandaluyong, Phillippines

For more information on these shows, to find other shows with U.S. participation, or to learn more about the "American Cafe" and trade missions, visit the FAS International Trade Show search engine at http://www.fas.usda.gov/scripts/agexport/EventQuery.asp.

Helpful Hint

Are you a food buyer interested in purchasing U.S. food products but unsure what regulations will affect imports to your country?

If you want to learn more on your own check out FAS FAIRS (Food and Agriculture Import Regulations and Standards) Reports at http://www.fas.usda.gov/itp/ofsts/fairs_by_country.asp. FAIRS Country Reports are market access reports which aim to consolidate general information on the technical requirements (i.e. food laws, labeling, import procedures, etc.) for food and agricultural imports imposed by a foreign country.

You can also consult with your nearest FAS overseas office. To find the FAS office closest to you, consult the FAS overseas office directory at http://www.fas.usda.gov/scriptsw/fasfield/ovc_frm.asp.