Commemorating one year of my Newsletter!

When I first set out to create and publish a newsletter about the Food and Drink Export Business, I knew that it would be challenging. Not in regard to finding topics to write about (those I have a lot) but whether or not I could maintain a routine of writing and publishing every two weeks. After this year, I think I have created some of the writing habits that will allow me to continue to maintain this commitment.

How it all began…

Before moving to the international department, I worked in different marketing and sales roles for the Portuguese market. And during that time, I always tried to be as updated as possible by reading books and attending specific executive training about: Strategy, Marketing and Sales. ?

When I started as an Export Manager some years ago, I did the same! I started reading BOOKS about International Markets and tried to find any specific EXECUTIVE TRAINING about International trade focusing in FMCG that could help me prepare myself for this new assignment!

Later, I started to value the power of NETWORKING. When people with the same roles face the same challenges, they are more willing to share their experience and work together. Soon, I started to build my network among Export Managers, first in the Portuguese Food & Beverage industry and later expanding that reach internationally.

International Business Books

I will now share with you the books I have read on International Business, over the last few years, which i consider to be the best:

• International Business: Competing in the Global Market Place - Charles W.L. Hill
• International Business Strategy - Alain Verbeke
• Global Marketing – Svend Hollensen

They’re all great books but, for companies that are just in the beginning of their international roadmap they don’t help a lot. First, they give you examples of other industries that are very different from the Food & Drink Industry, like: Ikea (Furniture), Four Seasons (Hospitality), Amazon (e-commerce), Microsoft (software), and Philips (consumer electronics). Second, since they all want to explain how to get global, even the examples given from the Food & Drink Industry are from global companies like: Starbucks, Walmart, Mars, Mondelez, and Danone.

If you work in a SMEs in this industry, you will find that you are not in the same stage of internationalization as the preceding examples. Don’t get me wrong, you should read about them too! But you will not get an idea of where to start when all you want is to export abroad and create a consistent sales stream in international markets.

Executive Training in International Trade

In 2018, I decided to enrol in the Forum for International Trade Training (FITT) skills program and after 2 years I got the FITT Diploma in International Trade and earn the CITP? | FIBP? designation. ?If you are looking to have a broader view about the international trade business, this is a very good choice. These courses allowed me to upscale my international trade-related knowledge.?Again, there’s no specific executive training focusing on the Food & Drink Export Business.

Networking

Soon I tried to network with the Export Managers of the Portuguese Food & Drink Companies to share information about markets and international strategy.

Food Fairs around the world are the perfect spot to develop your network. If you are present as an exhibitor in the National pavilions, you can speak first with all your fellow citizens that are showcasing their brands. Another way is to visit the others boots of your category from other countries. The market is too big to consider them as your direct competitors. And you will be surprised with how open they are to share value information with you! But it will only work if it is done by both parties.

There are great examples, from other companies in our industry, to learn from.???

When you speak with others in industry about your international business you will understand that they are facing same challenges and opportunities as you! You have more in common that you may think!

There are also organizations that can help you develop your network. Every Country has they own Food & Drink association or chamber of commerce that are very active in helping their members to export or internationalize their products.

Reasons behind creating this newsletter

After 10 years in this role, I think that I have gain some knowledge about International Business in the Food and Drink Industry. The more I read, the more I write! The more I write, the more I learn! I would also like to say that my thoughts on the topics I write about have evolved over time.

When you are researching about a specific topic, you should try to find books, articles and talk to your peer group and experts on that topic. after that, I curate all the information and distil it into practical insights. Finally, I try to formulate an opinion about it! If the insights are actionable, I try to develop frameworks and test them when I’m developing the international strategy of the brands that I work with.

I wrote 26 newsletters in the first year. Let me share some of my favourites:

4# Why do people always ask Export Managers the “Wrong” question?

Whenever we meet new customers or are introduced to someone and we say what industry we work in, the first question we are asked is: “In how many countries is your product or brand present?” It is not strange to find brands present in more than 50 countries, but the TOP 10 markets will represent more than 80% of the sales. So, there’s no magic number of countries that says that your brand is an international success!

7# Competition: David vs. Goliath!

If you are an Export Manager in the Food & Drink Industry, I’m sure you have felt like David! When we are competing outside our home market, we always feel like David! The other brands are bigger than us, some are Local, others are Global! What’s the lesson to be learnt from this epic battle? Your brand is David, it is thought of as the underdog but, it is not! It all depends on the weaponry that you choose to fight with!

13# How to Grow Internationally – Develop Venture Markets

For Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Large-Scale Enterprises (LSEs) that are not global, there are only two options to develop internationally. Either you optimize your Natural Markets, or you develop Venture Markets. Your next Venture Markets are those where the size of the potential market is greater but the effort and risks to implement are higher. Since your Brand has already been successful in your home market or in other Natural markets, the aim is to replicate the success formula for another country with the required adaptations.

18# The Founders Series – The Story behind Sumol

When you work in the Food and Drink Industry you need to find your reference points. They can be brands such as: Nestlé, Heinz or Hershey, or the people behind their success – The founders.

For me, my reference points are the big brand builders like Henri Nestlé, Henry Heinz, or Milton Hershey but also the founder of the company I work in – António Jo?o Eusebio.

24# Product – It′s all about taste

When you are exporting your product or internationalizing your brand to a new market you need to know if your formula/recipe meets consumer preferences of the target market. And if your product doesn’t taste good, people aren’t going to buy it again! In this newsletter I tried to explain why there are differences in tastes between countries!

I’m not an expert, but I like to write about the challenges SME’s have to be able to thrive internationally in the Food and Drink Industry. This exercise is a continual work in progress!

For many companies, breaking into foreign markets is not an easy task! All the positive feedback that I’ve received has shown me that this newsletter has been insightful, and I have been able to help others develop their own international strategy! For that, I am extremely happy!?