In this Issue:
 For the first time ever, the International Marketing Program hosted a Michigan
Specialty Crops Pavilion at the United Fresh MKT Expo at McCormick Place in
Chicago, June 13-15. The United Fresh show was a combination of four shows: The
International Floriculture Expo, the United Fresh MKT Expo, the United Fresh
Tec Expo, and the Global Cold Chain Expo. The shows took place simultaneously,
allowing attendees and exhibitors a unique opportunity to experience four
different aspects of the food service industry.
Exhibiting
with the International Marketing Program in the Michigan Specialty Crops
Pavilion were the Michigan Apple Committee, the Michigan Potato Industry
Commission, All Fresh GPS and Safie’s Specialty Foods. During the show, 49 new contacts/leads were made, and the companies in the Michigan Pavilion gained $500,000 in projected domestic and international sales! Each
of the companies made valuable contacts with domestic and international buyers and other
food service professionals.
Stay
tuned for information on the 2018 show!
For
more information, visit www.michigan.gov/agexport or contact Jamie Zmitko-Somers at 517-284-5738.
The International Business Center (IBC) at Michigan State University recently launched ExportMI, a website that helps Michigan companies begin exporting, or expand upon their current international
markets.
The new website features several helpful tools for
companies of all sizes including an export services directory, upcoming
export events calendar, target market reports, and online export resources to
guide novice and advanced exporters.
Companies can explore the website at www.exportmi.org. For more
information on this website, please contact Jade Sims at MSU's International
Business Center at (517) 884-1660, or sims@broad.msu.edu.
Private-labelling, which is a process by which a retailer
sells products under their name that are manufactured by another company, is a
unique way for companies to gain shelf space and product recognition without
the risk of low consumer interest due to lack of brand recognition.
There are manufacturing benefits for companies that use private labeling, including lower costs and ease of business for large,
medium, and small sized enterprises. Between 2015 and 2016, the dollar value of
the market increased by over $2 billion to $49.6 billion, according
to the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA). Similarly, the total
units of private label goods sold increased by 4.4%, compared to traditional brands
collectively increasing by approximately 0.2%. Many privately labeled goods are
now trending up quicker than well-known brands with few signs of stopping.
Countries in Western Europe, including Switzerland, the
Netherlands, Germany, and Spain, have large private label markets and are viable markets for US exports. Modern grocery retailing is an important
component of a strong private label market. Convenience stores, however, are
also large buyers of private label products. Packaged and staple food items are
the most sought-after private label products with dairy ranking first in
private label sales. Other products gaining popularity in private labeling are
snack food and pet food. Products with the least private label potential
include niche products such as baby food, confectionery, baked goods, and
impulse products due to the high brand recognition and quality standards that
already exist.
Check out the "Upcoming Events" side panel for more information on upcoming private label missions hosted by Food Export-Midwest!
(Sources: Private Label Manufacturers
Association, Euromonitor)
By Jean G. Schtokal
Foster Swift Business & Corporate Law News
 Businesses receive online orders from international entities through their websites all of the time. It is important to have your team in place to investigate these offers and make sure they are legitimate requests and that you can legally fulfill the order, before too much time and too many resources are expended.
We were recently brought in by an international banker to help a newly formed US company that was selling its product online. The product was a very unique, niche product that outperformed all current solutions. The internet sales of this product in the US were starting to take off. A growing number of individuals were buying a piece at a time for personal use, and some retail outlets were occasionally ordering a few at a time. And then, via the email listed on the US company website, a request for pricing of 60,000 pieces came from China.
To continue reading this story, click here.
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The International Marketing Team has been working on updating all of the contact information for our Exporter Database. This is important for ensuring international buyers are able to contact you for your export services.
If you have received an email on this matter, or want to learn more about this database, please contact Jamie Zmitko-Somers at zmitkoj@michigan.gov or call (517) 284-5738.
If you would like to visit the database, click here.
Convenience Store Buyers Mission at the 2017 NACS Show
Oct. 17 I Chicago, IL
Reg. ends Sept. 7
Private Label Buyers Mission 2017
Nov. 9 I Philadelphia, PA
Reg. ends Sept. 28
Private Label Buyers Mission at the 2017 Private Label Manufacturers Association Show
Nov. 12 I Rosemont, IL
Reg. ends Oct. 2
Focused Trade Mission to Dubai
Dec. 3-4 I Dubai, UAE
Reg. ends Sept. 12
Trade Mission to Vietnam and Thailand for Feed Ingredients and Additives
Jan 15-19, 2018 | Vietnam, Thailand
Early reg. end Sep. 29, 2017
 Jamie Zmitko-Somers
zmitkoj@michigan.gov
517-284-5738
Allie Fox VanDriel
foxa1@michigan.gov
517-284-5737
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