Specialty Food Company Finds Continued Success in International Trade Shows

April 2010

Nonni’s Food Co., Inc., a Tulsa, Okla.-based business, was built on the tradition of a beloved family biscotti recipe that traveled from Italy to America nearly a century ago. The company prides itself on its commitment to quality ingredients and believes that quality is one of the major reasons for its success. Nonni’s has expanded its business to include baked goods such as New York Style Bagel Crisps, Pita Chips, and Panetini. In recent years the company turned its attention to potential overseas markets. With the help of USDA-endorsed trade shows and events, the company’s success in the export arena has them traveling across the ocean again, this time sending products to countries around the world.

“Our company feels that international growth corresponds with the whole global strategic branding process,” said Mr. Lee York, international division manager for Nonni’s. “The company was established in the United States prior to exporting our brand, which then became intriguing to other countries. Two of our brands have a long shelf life and broader snacking appeal, making them very conducive to global expansion. We recognized that we produce a commodity that cannot be produced where we ship, which has opened a lot of doors for us overseas.”

Nonni's Foods Participates in Fine Foods Australia 2009

The company began to aggressively pursue overseas markets seven years ago and found that trade shows were critical to building their export business. York has found that many of the larger shows, which draw tens of thousands of attendees, are particularly beneficial for making business connections.

“At larger shows such as SIAL or Fine Food Australia, you have the opportunity to reach the critical masses, which is very important,” said York. “Those events have a great return on investment over time.”

The FAS Trade Services Staff (TSS) of USDA works with show organizers to secure U.S. Pavilions at key shows. Like Nonni’s, many exhibitors value their experience in the U.S. Pavilion, as it offers prestige and visibility with other U.S. companies, while maintaining a company’s own identity in individual booths. Additionally, it provides a strong USA identification in a prime show floor location, making these exhibitors a focal point for international importers and brokers.

“I believe there is a benefit to exhibiting in the U.S. Pavilion,” said York. “My perception is that foreign buyers and retailers are interested in U.S.-made products. So to be in a standalone environment would handicap our attendance. I’ve seen the value in exhibiting in this space and would want to remain in the U.S. Pavilion for future shows.”

Nonni’s has also seen great benefit to participating in Buyer Missions (also called reverse missions) through state regional trade groups such as the Southern U.S. Trade Association, Food Export USA Northeast and the Food Export Association of the Midwest USA. In the past year, the company has participated in more reverse missions than ever before. Reverse trade missions bring foreign buyers into the United States to introduce them to the wide variety of high quality agricultural products available here. Missions offer the U.S. exporter a great way to make contacts quickly and cost effectively. USDA/FAS and the state regional trade groups as well as individual state departments of agriculture co-manage many of these events.

Participation in trade shows and reverse trade missions have clearly impacted Nonni’s export business in a positive way, but it also takes a good sense of business know-how to succeed overseas. York encourages companies that are interested in building their export business to be prepared for the cyclical nature of international business and to determine early on their company’s ability to grow. He emphasizes that advance work to determine the audience for your product as well as shelf life is critical to building a successful export business.

Small Florida Business Finds Keys to Success Through FAS Programs

September 2009

Bouras Global Trading, a small food export company in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., used FAS services to help double its sales. The company exclusively offers the full range of Hy-Top^® products, including, grocery, shelf-stable, refrigerated and frozen products, as well as general merchandise and health and beauty items. In addition, it is the exclusive exporter of Richmix,^® a non-dairy creamer, to the Middle East and Africa. The support of the various informative programs and services provided by FAS, has aided in Bouras Global Trading’s export success, affording it the opportunity to unlock the doors to international exporting.

"FAS has saved us a lot of money, a lot of time, and a lot of effort and prevented us from having to waste our time doing something that would not be beneficial to us in the end," said Mohamed Bouras, president of Bouras Global Trading.

The company has seen an annual sales increase of 25 percent since the company formed four years ago, and its projected sales for 2009 are approximately $5 million. The company attributes much of its growth—a doubling of total sales since it began working with FAS—to its involvement in international trade shows and incorporating the information found on the FAS Web site into its business plan.

Mohamed Bouras proudly displays his products during an international trade show.

Bouras Global Trading has participated in several USDA/FAS-endorsed international trade shows over the past several years which have boosted the company’s efforts to enter prospective markets for its consumer-oriented food products. FAS Trade Services Staff (TSS) works with show organizers to secure U.S. Pavilions at key shows. Also, the company received funding through the Southern U.S. Trade Association, an organization that received more than $6.9 million in 2008 Market Access Program funding from FAS to help its members promote U.S. products through a variety of programs, including promotional trade events.

In addition to trade shows, the market and trade data on the FAS Web site helped Bouras Global Trading familiarize itself with markets, including who are its largest competitors, how to position its products in a particular country, which markets the company should pursue and which ones may prove to be a dead end for its products. In some cases, the information the company received in Global Agriculture Information Network (GAIN) Reports, Attaché Reports sent from Agricultural Offices in Embassies abroad, indicated which markets have already been secured by another country or if a particular market’s culture and economy don’t warrant the purchase of its products. GAIN Reports are an excellent resource for exporters to find information for trade policy reports, rules and regulations, commodity and market reports.

Several years ago, Bouras attempted to enter the Brazil market and came back empty-handed after two unsuccessful business trips to the country. At the urging of a contact at FAS, Bouras learned more about the market’s requirements through the country information on the FAS Web site and discovered it would have been impossible for his business to sell anything in that country.

"We went there blindly and found out the hard way," said Bouras. "We should have called the FAS office and asked for their help. Was this worth our time? Or should we move on? The Web site was a great tool for us to use to prevent us from wasting our time or money."

With the help of FAS, Bouras has grown his business into a successful international exporter. While Bouras prides himself in possessing the knowledge and skills to be successful in the export arena, he is grateful for the guidance he has received from FAS to get his business to where it is today.

"The services that FAS and USDA have put together have opened a lot of doors for us. They have given us the opportunity to knock on doors to tell people who we are and what we can offer them," said Bouras.