Cook Wrap Export: Selling your food to the world
()
About this ebook
This book is a guide for those tipping their toes into the exciting, challenging world of exporting. It's for those making the first overseas sales and realising the potential of a huge and global market hungry for quality UK food and drink and it's for exporters seeking inspiration and advice on developing your existing export business.
The potential of export markets is huge and it is all too easy to become overwhelmed by the choice, size and complexity of choosing your markets and fulfilling orders. But there is a huge amount of support for fledging exporters and a lot of interest around the world for products 'Made in Britain' - so now is a great time to sell your foodie products around the world.
Bruce McMichael
Bruce has worked as a freelance writer, journalist and publisher for over 20 years and is passionate about local food, inspired by local provenance through meeting and learning from the producers and chefs. Bruce published and edited a local food magazine, Taste Shropshire which included news and reviews of local food producers, restaurant and hotel reviews and local and regional recipes. As a regular user of local farmers' markets, food fairs and festivals he has spoken with hundreds of individual local producers, and small to medium sized businesses eager to share their experiences of working as a food entrepreneurs. With a post-graduate degree in marketing, he has gained experience in international book retailing and sales which enable him to travel extensively, visiting many different types of fresh food markets around Europe, the USA and Asia. Bruce is an experienced public speaker and conference chair and has judged many cooking competitions including 'Curry Chef of the Year' organised by Shropshire Council; a best Fidget Pie challenge run by the famous Ludlow Food Festival and a Best Sausage competition run by the regional food group Heart of England Fine Foods.
Related to Cook Wrap Export
Related ebooks
Cook Wrap Sell: A guide to starting and running a successful food business from your kitchen Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHomemade for Sale: How to Set Up and Market a Food Business from Your Home Kitchen Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Welcome to the Agrihood: Housing, Shopping, and Gardening for a Farm-to-Table Lifestyle Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPaleo Cookbook for Two Everyday Delicious and Healthy Recipes! Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBurrito Cookbook: A Collection of Authentic Mexican Burrito Recipes Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPaleo Asian Recipes Delicious, Breakfast, Lunch, Snack, Dinner and Dessert Recipes Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSausage & Mash Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Candy Maker's Guide A Collection of Choice Recipes for Sugar Boiling Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsB is for Bell Pepper Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Parchment Paper Cookbook: 180 Healthy, Fast, Delicious Dishes! Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCooking up Big Savings: Money-Saving Strategies and American Home Cooking Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGood Food, Great Business: How to Take Your Artisan Food Idea from Concept to Marketplace Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTuna: Steaks, Paninis, Dips, Wraps & More Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Good Cook's Book of Tomatoes: A New World Discovery and Its Old World Impact, with more than 150 recipes Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Start-Up a Food Truck Business Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEasy Homemade Sauces Main Course& Dessert Sauces using Wholesome Organic Ingredients Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Cheese Biscuit Queen Tells All: Southern Recipes, Sweet Remembrances, and a Little Rambunctious Behavior Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsKnead It!: 35 Great Bread Recipes to Make at Home Today Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGo Green, Spend Less, Live Better: The Ultimate Guide to Saving the Planet, Saving Money, and Protecting Your Health Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMy Best Ever Homemade Pizza Recipes: Bake Delicious Pizzas To Whet Your Appetite Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDiet Fads, Careers & Controversies in Nutrition Journalism: How to Organize Term Papers, News, or Debates Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHow to Live on a Low Income: A Little Wisdom and Some Good Advice for Surviving Tough Times Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings25 Easy Fruit Cake Recipes - Delicious Fruit Cake for Perfect Feast Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsStreet Food Success Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBeef: Slow Cooker Easy - Pot Roast to Brisket to Flank Steak Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Small Business & Entrepreneurs For You
Starting a Business All-In-One For Dummies Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Think Bigger: Aim Higher, Get More Motivated, and Accomplish Big Things Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Ultimate Side Hustle Book: 450 Moneymaking Ideas for the Gig Economy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dream Big: Know What You Want, Why You Want It, and What You’re Going to Do About It Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Start Your Own Business Bible: 501 New Ventures You Can Launch Today Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Millionaire Fastlane: Crack the Code to Wealth and Live Rich for a Lifetime Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Your Next Five Moves: Master the Art of Business Strategy Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Freedom Shortcut: How Anyone Can Generate True Passive Income Online, Escape the 9-5, and Live Anywhere Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Small Business For Dummies Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Summary of Timothy Ferriss' book: The 4-Hour Workweek: More time, more money, more life: Summary Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Never Get a "Real" Job: How to Dump Your Boss, Build a Business and Not Go Broke Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Creative, Inc.: The Ultimate Guide to Running a Successful Freelance Business Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Notary Business Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Feck Perfuction: Dangerous Ideas on the Business of Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bookkeeping: An Essential Guide to Bookkeeping for Beginners along with Basic Accounting Principles Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Side Hustle: How to Turn Your Spare Time into $1000 a Month or More Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5HBR Guide to Buying a Small Business (HBR Guide Series) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Bending Reality: How to Make the Impossible Probable Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Robert's Rules of Order: The Original Manual for Assembly Rules, Business Etiquette, and Conduct Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Bitcoin Standard: The Decentralized Alternative to Central Banking Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Without a Doubt: How to Go from Underrated to Unbeatable Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wealthology: The Science of Smashing Money Blocks Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Real Artists Don't Starve: Timeless Strategies for Thriving in the New Creative Age Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Cook Wrap Export
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Cook Wrap Export - Bruce McMichael
Cook Wrap Export
Selling your food to the world
by Bruce McMichael
Produced by
HARRIMAN HOUSE LTD
18 College Street
Petersfield
Hampshire
GU31 4AD
GREAT BRITAIN
Tel: +44 (0)1730 233870
Email: enquiries@harriman-house.com
Website: www.harriman-house.com
First edition published in Great Britain in 2015.
Copyright © Bruce McMichael
The right of Bruce McMichael to be identified as the Author has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
ISBN: 9781908003669
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A CIP catalogue record for this book can be obtained from the British Library.
All rights reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission of the Publisher. This book may not be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise disposed of by way of trade in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published, without the prior written consent of the Publisher.
No responsibility for loss occasioned to any person or corporate body acting or refraining to act as a result of reading material in this book can be accepted by the Publisher, by the Author, or by the employer of the Author.
This book is dedicated to my father, Mac, and Mother whose tales of travels, adventures and business inspired me to use my passport and enjoy a world of food!
Contents
Who This Book is For
Cook Wrap Sell
1. An Exporter’s Overview
The UK’s largest manufacturing sector
Why export?
Where to export?
What to export?
Government support
Cultural considerations
The steps you have to take
2. Is Exporting Right for Me?
Six key issues to consider before you start exporting
Preparing for export
SWOT Analysis
Summary
3. Where Are My Markets?
Fail to plan … plan to fail
Seven key research questions
Finding answers
Identifying your potential markets
Aid-funded business
Six research tips
Summary
4. Marketing and Sales
Mind your Ps and Cs
Your product
Exhibitions, festivals and shows
Pricing
Awards
Summary
5. Getting Noticed Online
Website etiquette
Content is king, and links are queens
Social media marketing
Mobile communications
Apps
Social media
A changing landscape
Summary
6. Labelling
Label design
Health and nutrition
Packing for delivery
Summary
7. Routes to Market
Agents
Distributors
Routes to market
UK Trade & Investment
Protecting your intellectual property
Summary
8. Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Your export policy
Delivery: logistics and distribution
Summary
9. Business Travel and Culture
Business travel
Export Insight Visits
Culture
Cultural awareness and business practices
Summary
10. Finance and Money
Funding
Getting paid
Open a foreign bank account
Insurance
Accepting payment online
Letters of credit
Distance Selling Regulations
Paying duty within the EU
Summary
Conclusion
Useful Resources
Advice and support
Background information
British Government
Trade statistics
Find that company
Industry groups
Business travel advice & languages
Regional food & drink groups
Exhibitions in the UK and abroad
Magazines and websites
Learning
Export companies
Country profiles for the UK’s top and potential export markets
Who This Book is For
Your journey to becoming a food and drink exporter may well start with an unexpected but thrilling sales enquiry from Russia, India or South Africa, or it might have always been part of your business plan.
Whatever it is that first prompts you to explore exporting your food business’s products, this book is the definitive guide to everything that the journey will entail. There is much to learn and do before a trickle of export orders is transformed into an established and growing part of your income. Here you’ll find out everything you need to know to get started on an international journey, giving you the confidence to take on, and succeed in, a competitive marketplace.
This book is a guide for those dipping their toes into the exciting, challenging world of food and drink exporting. It’s as much for those making their very first overseas sales, as it is for those seeking inspiration and advice on taking an existing export business to the next level.
There is a vast global market hungry for quality British food and drink. Consumers in China, Russia, the Middle East and many other markets are actively seeking out the ‘sharp’ taste of British products such as potato crisps, apples (selling for around £1.50 in Kuala Lumpur!) and mustard and pickles.
Backed up by a huge amount of support from government and business support organisations such as Enterprise Nation, you’ll have the confidence to take your products to lucrative new markets and fulfil orders around the world. There’s never been a better time to jump in, and this book will be with you every step of the way.
Bruce McMichael
BRUCE McMICHAEL is freelance writer, journalist and publisher and is passionate about local food, inspired by local provenance through meeting and learning from the producers and chefs.
He published and edited a local food magazine, Taste Shropshire, which included news and reviews of local food producers, restaurant and hotel reviews and local and regional recipes.
As a regular user of local farmers’ markets, food fairs and festivals he has spoken with hundreds of individual local producers, and small-to-medium-sized businesses eager to share their experiences of working as a food entrepreneurs.
Bruce is an experienced public speaker and conference chair and has judged many cooking competitions including ‘Curry Chef of the Year’ organised by Shropshire Council, a best Fidget Pie challenge run by the famous Ludlow Food Festival, and a Best Sausage competition run by the regional food group Heart of England Fine Foods. He is an active member of the Guild of Food Writers. Cook Wrap Export is Bruce’s second book.
@cookwrapsell
With Thanks
With thanks to all the companies that contributed thoughts, experiences and advice, to the UK Trade & Investment department for a wealth of information and support, and to Kwintessential (www.kwintessential.co.uk) for sharing experience and knowledge.
Cook Wrap Sell
Cook Wrap Sell is Bruce’s first book, and is also published by Harriman House/Enterprise Nation. There is growing demand for traditional, well-cooked, locally-sourced, homemade food and so there’s never been a better time to start your own food business, and this book will be your guide through all the stages from the lightbulb moment to selling your produce to happy customers. Produced in partnership with Country Living Magazine, this book will help you:
•turn your love of food into a thriving small business, with the right idea and a watertight business plan
•create a home-based kitchen that complies with health and safety legislation
•use social media to promote your produce and brand
•become part of a vibrant community selling at farmers’ markets and food festivals across the UK
•sell into shops, pubs and giant supermarket chains.
This book is sprinkled with real-life stories of people making money from cooking, baking, blogging and much more besides. You’ll meet soft-drink producers, beef burger and sausage makers, chocolate and fudge specialists . . . and more. All of them started from scratch and are now successfully selling into everywhere from farm shops to supermarkets.
www.enterprisenation.com/books/cook-wrap-sell
1. An Exporter’s Overview
Just as British consumers are familiar with international ingredients and cuisines, so the world is keen on buying food and drink ‘Made in Britain’.
In the UK, celebrity chefs and food festivals have driven a huge rise in consumer interest in food. This has given many home cooks the knowledge and skills to create wonderful dishes, with increasing numbers moving on to create food businesses.
Boosted by the internet, affordable international travel and support from the British government through UK Trade & Industry (UKTI), these small and medium-sized food companies are looking further and further afield for their customers and exploring new markets. If you’re reading this book, you may be one of them.
Efficient communications and a wide choice of transport and logistics systems is helping match suppliers with fast-growing demand in booming markets such as Brazil, India and China alongside the UK’s traditional export markets of Ireland, the European Union and the USA.
Armed with the proper research, companies can target the millions and millions of customers living beyond British borders. The challenges of reaching them can seem daunting; there are plenty of questions to be answered before the dollars, euros and yen start rolling in. But they’re not insurmountable.
Let’s start by taking a quick look at exactly what’s going on inside the British food and drink exporting community today.
The UK’s largest manufacturing sector
Food and drink represents the largest manufacturing sector in the UK; employing more than half a million people, it makes a considerable contribution to the economy. Even in the midst of a global economic downturn, food and drink exports are continuing to grow, month on month, year on year. In 2013, food and drink exports grew by 5% to £12.8bn compared with the previous year. Exports to non-European Union markets (up by 11.5%) outperformed those to the EU (up by 3%) pushing the non-EU share up by 1.3%. Including alcoholic drinks, total food and drink exports were £19.4bn, up by 3.7% on 2012.
Ireland and France remain the UK’s biggest food and drink export markets by both overall value and value gained in 2013, rising by 7% to £3.2bn and 10% to £1.5bn respectively. Exports to China rose by a massive 82% compared to 2012, moving China up to become the second largest non-EU market, with exports of British pork (up by 92%) and Scottish salmon (up by 90%) alone contributing £33m, reported the Food and Drink Federation.
Value-added products performed well in both the EU (up by 5%) and non-EU (up by 6%) and the five best-performing value-added products generated gains of over £280m compared to 2012.
Top product categories:
•Chocolate: up by 9% to £571m
•Salmon: up by 38% to £465m
•Cheese: up by 9% to £443m
•Lamb: up by 8% to £383m
•Soft drinks: up by 9% to £378m.
Top performing markets:
•China: up by 82% to £201m
•Australia: up by 18% to £134m
•Hong Kong: up by 16% to £156m
•South Africa: up by 13% to £103m
•Saudi Arabia: up by 12% to £132m.
India-inspired sauces sent to Spain, cheese to Japan and breakfast cereals to China are some of the UK’s food exporting success stories. Meat, dairy, seafood and value-added grocery products are all in demand across Europe and increasingly in Asia, while the Scotch whisky industry continues to expand sales globally. The main recipients of British food and drink exports continue to be mature markets such as the USA, Canada and the EU. However, developing markets such as the Gulf States and Asia are opening up some excellent opportunities for exporters.
Selling tea to China
In late 2013, the then UK minister for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, led a group of British food and drink producers to Shanghai and the Food and Hotel China exhibition.
The British companies spanned a wide variety of food groups ranging from tea and beer to cheese, smoked salmon, desserts and confectionery.
Speaking at the show, Mr Paterson said: British food is renowned across the world for quality and our smoked salmon, pork, chocolate and Scotch whisky are already popular here in China. I’m in Shanghai to bring some more great British products to Chinese buyers and help get more British food and drink onto your supermarket shelves.
Why export?
Many companies start exporting by accident. Busy developing their businesses in local markets, they might not have considered exporting until an unexpected email or enquiry lands on their desk. This spark may develop the business in unexpected but rewarding ways. Perhaps this inspiration was what you needed to develop an export business, or maybe you made the decision to export for another reason.
The British Chambers of Commerce polled members who currently export products and found an interesting variety of reasons that motivated them into exporting –