In this Issue:
Don’t miss the opportunity
to meet with numerous international buyers at the 2016 Midwest Buyers Mission
on August 1, 2016 right here in East Lansing, MI brought to you by the International
Marketing Program and Food Export – Midwest. Approximately 20 pre-qualified buyers from around the world will travel to Michigan to participate in
one-on-one meetings with companies from across the state. Products of
particular interest to these international buyers include: retail and food
service products, private label, fresh/organic/healthy foods, frozen/chilled
products, and specialty/gourmet goods. This buyers mission has generated
substantial export opportunities in the past, and this year’s event is expected
to be no exception! Companies that participated in the 2014 Midwest Buyers
Mission reported a collective $4.7 million in actual export sales and 118
first-time export sales to a new market.
This buyers mission presents
a unique opportunity for Michigan companies to meet with a variety of
international buyers without ever leaving the state! Interested companies are encouraged
to register for this exciting opportunity as quickly as possible, as meetings
are scheduled on a first-come first-served basis. Early bird registration for
$250 closes on June 3, and the final registration deadline is June 17.
Click here to register or to learn more about the international
buyers participating in the 2016 Midwest Buyers Mission: http://bit.ly/1O5kEUM.
For more information contact
Jamie Zmitko-Somers at 517-284-5738 or zmitkoj@michigan.gov.
The Michigan
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s International Marketing
Program partnered with Euromonitor International, the world’s
leading independent provider of strategic market research, to develop export
opportunity analysis reports for Michigan food and agriculture companies.
“The reports will assist these companies in identifying
emerging export opportunities to further grow their global presence and expand
their businesses,” said Jamie Clover Adams, MDARD director. “New
international markets are critical as Michigan focuses on growing its food and
agriculture exports.”
The opportunity analysis reports provide valuable insight to
Michigan growers and processors looking for new export opportunities through
the identification of key and emerging export markets. The reports are designed
to assist companies in mapping out an export strategy for 2016 and beyond by
highlighting consumer trends as well as historical and forecasted consumption.
Reports are available for the following Michigan industries
and segments: Sweet & Savory Foods, Alcoholic Beverages (beer, hard
cider/perry and spirits), Dairy Products, Energy/Breakfast Bars, Apples, Dry
Beans, Blueberries, Honey, Tart Cherries, Wine, Potatoes, Pickled Products,
Popcorn and Onions.
The export opportunity analysis reports are available at www.miagexport.com.
For additional information, contact Jamie Zmitko-Somers at zmitkoj@michigan.gov or (517) 284-5738
or Allie Fox at foxa1@michigan.gov or
(517) 284-5737.
By Zara Smith
Program Manager, Michigan Small Business Development Center
The
emergence of technology has shifted the ways in which a business is run. As new
technologies have allowed us to plan, monitor, and improve business, certain
strategies and tactics have come to the forefront, such as SEO.
SEO
is the process of implementing strategies or techniques to improve the
visibility (ranking) of a website in a search engine’s organic (unpaid) search
results. Search engine optimization, or SEO, is an important component of the
online marketing strategies employed by small businesses.
Why spend time
optimizing your website internationally?
Why
should you bother with SEO? The better your site is optimized, the higher it
will rank on search engine results. A higher ranking means that more people
will see your site, resulting in more web traffic.
SEO
is an especially important part of an international marketing or sales
strategy. However, the different
languages, consumer behavior, and cultural norms present in an international
target market means that your international strategy will need to be different
than your domestic SEO strategy.
Quality
content
One
of the most important components in an SEO strategy is to have relevant,
engaging content on your website. Google and all other search engines exist to
provide accurate answers and data to their users. Search engines determine what
your website is about by analyzing the text on your site. If your site has
content that answers search queries, you will rank higher
Keyword
research
As
you develop fresh content, make sure that you have done some keyword research. Chances
are good that existing customers might search for your site/products
differently than someone who has never heard of your company. Having content
that reflects long-tail search queries pertaining to your industry/product is
the most effective way to attract quality visitors who end up purchasing your
product.
Inbound
links
These
are hyperlinks from other sites that point to your site. Inbound links act as a
letter of recommendation for your site, meaning that some links are more
valuable than others. For example, popular pages like cnn.com, google.com, or
sites with a .gov, .edu, or .org domain extension tend to have higher
authority. If they link to your site, they pass some of this authority on to
you. These inbound links are the most influential sign of your site’s trust and
authority, and will continue to be in 2016.
Optimize
for mobile viewing
Recent
research has found that mobile Internet usage (smartphones and tablets) has
exceeded PC Internet usage for the first time in history. If your site is not
mobile responsive, now is the time to make that happen. Mobile devices have
become the preferred web browsing device, and Google has said that responsive
designs provide a better user experience. Updating your website with responsive
design, or creating a custom mobile site, will better position you against your
competitors.
Though
SEO is just one component of an overall international marketing strategy, it
consistently and effectively attracts organic web traffic and can serve as a
“foot in the door” to a target market.
The Michigan Small Business Development Center helps guide qualified
Michigan companies by developing international SEO reports for their sites.
Michigan
food and agriculture companies that develop, service or update their websites
to target a foreign audience may be eligible to receive up to 50%
reimbursement for associated costs through Food Export’s Branded Program. To find out if your company is eligible, click here, or contact the International Marketing Program at zmitkoj@michigan.gov or 517-284-5738.
Canada is
the number one destination for Michigan food and agriculture exports, totaling
$1.2 billion in 2014. Canada’s
proximity to the U.S. and its common culture and lifestyle have historically
made it a top choice for U.S. suppliers to export to. When exporting to Canada
it’s important to consider key differences in requirements such as packaging
size, nutrition labeling, use of the metric system, and use of Canadian English
and French. For more information about export requirements, and additional
analysis of the Canadian market, read Food Exports detailed country profile here.
There
are numerous growing food trends in the Canadian marketplace that Michigan
suppliers can capitalize on, especially the growing demand for innovative
value-added foods that are both healthy and convenient. Top opportunities in
this sector for Michigan suppliers include products that are low sugar or sugar
free, gluten free, organic, low calorie, low fat and functional/superfoods.
In order to best
understand the local Canadian food industry landscape, Michigan suppliers are
encouraged to participate in Food Export’s Focused
Trade Mission to Canada for Specialty and Natural Products. This mission
will take place in Toronto, Canada, September 7-8, 2016. Participants will have
the opportunity to learn first-hand about the market and meet face-to-face with
local buyers. Registration
for this event will remain open until June 15, but register by May 4 to receive
a discounted rate. To learn more or to register, click here.
For more information on
the Canadian market or the Focused Trade Mission to Canada, contact Allie Fox
at foxa1@michigan.gov or 517-284-5737.
Source: Food Export Association
The International Marketing
Program invites you to join the Michigan pavilion at Americas Food &
Beverage Show in Miami Beach, Florida. The show will take place September
26-27, 2016 and include opportunities to attend seminars, view presentations,
and most importantly, market your Michigan made products. Join us in
celebrating the show’s 20th anniversary by purchasing a booth space
and position yourself to meet thousands of interested international buyers.
Last year over 11,000
individuals representing over 100 countries visited the show. Over $179 million
in projected sales were recorded for all show exhibitors. The Michigan
companies that participated in the 2015 Michigan pavilion reported a total of
38 new leads with an approximate $250,000 in export sales anticipated in the
following 12 months.
International buyers representing
supermarkets, cruise lines, food service, restaurants, and many other major
industry sectors are already registered to attend this year’s event, and the
list grows daily!
Booth space in the Michigan
pavilion is limited, be sure to save your space as soon as possible! The cost
for a 10x10 booth is $1,450 for specialty crop companies, and $2,900 for
non-specialty crop companies. Half booth options are available as well.
For more information
regarding America’s Food & Beverage Show visit their website: www.americasfoodandbeverage.com
Click here for further
details and a copy of the booth space application for the 2016 Michigan
pavilion: www.michigan.gov/miagexport
Contact Jamie Zmitko-Somers
at 517-284-5738 or zmitkoj@michigan.gov.
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South Korea recently implemented the Special Act on Imported Food
Safety Management. The USDA has created a GAIN report that illustrates the changes and new requirements included in the Special Act, including mandatory foreign facility registration.
The GAIN report is available at the following link: http://1.usa.gov/1SD1jNc
In the January-February issue of the New Market Developer we introduced Molly Burns as the new Michigan Food Export liaison. Recently, Molly was promoted to the position of Branded Program Manager, succeeding Joe Yotti. Replacing Molly as Michigan's Food Export liaison is Lisa Vollen.
"Hello! My name is Lisa Vollen, and I am the new Liaison at
Food Export of the Midwest that assists Michigan companies with our programs. I
work with Jamie and Allie at the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural
Development to encourage Michigan food and agriculture companies to export and
to utilize Food Export programs to help you do so. Please don’t hesitate to contact me at lvollen@foodexport.org or 312-334-9217."
Congratulations Molly and welcome Lisa!
Upcoming Events
Caribbean & Central American Buyers Mission for Retail & Food Service June 15-16, 2016 | Miami, FL Registration Closes May 3
Webinar: "How to Prepare for Meetings with Foreign Buyers" May 4, 2016 | 3-4 PM
Focused Trade Mission to China for Food Service Products August 8-12, 2016 | Shanghai & Shenzhen, China Registration Closes May 23
Food Show PLUS! at Feria Alimentaria Guatemala September 4-7, 2016 l Guatemala City, Guatemala Registration Closes June 12
Focused Trade Mission to Canada for Specialty and Natural Products September 7-8, 2016 | Toronto, Canada Registration Closes June 15
The International Marketing
Program is excited to welcome our newest intern Katherine Andrews!
Katherine is currently a sophomore at Michigan State
University majoring in Comparative Cultures and Politics with a minor in
Environmental and Sustainability Studies as well as Sustainable Agriculture and
Food Systems. Welcome Katherine!
Follow us on Twitter for valuable insider information
Become a Fan of the International Marketing Program on Facebook
Get in touch and stay informed with program updates on LinkedIn
Jamie Zmitko-Somers
zmitkoj@michigan.gov
517-284-5736
Allie Fox
foxa1@michigan.gov
517-284-5737
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