Member Article

London Food and Drink Firms Hungry to Export Head to Cologne

Seventeen food and drink businesses from across London sought out new export customers this week as they attended the Anuga food and drink fair in Cologne, Germany (5- 9 October).

The trade show, which marks its 100th anniversary this year, hosts more than 7,400 exhibitors from more than 100 countries, and welcomes 165,000 trade visitors from around the world.

The businesses have so far been supported on their exporting journey by the Food is GREAT campaign – a cross-departmental initiative between the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Department for International Trade (DIT) – which aims to help showcase UK food and drink overseas.

The London producers, including Moma Foods and Joe & Seph’s Gourmet Popcorn, exhibited at the show alongside more than 100 UK businesses in a dedicated UK pavilion with support from DIT’s International Trade Advisers (ITAs).

Another local business in attendance was Marylebone’s Double Dutch, which was founded in 2015 by Dutch twins Raissa and Joyce De Haas. Keen to explore new markets, the duo attended Anuga to find distributors in Germany and Eastern Europe.

Specialising in premium mixers ranging from traditional Indian tonic to pomegranate and basil flavours, the company now exports to more than 24 countries around the world. Double Dutch was one of 28 businesses to attend the trade show with the help of a DIT Tradeshow Access Programme (TAP) grant.

The drinks brand met new prospects via one-to-one meetings organised by International Trade Advisers. These introductions will support Double Dutch’s aim of increased sales and geographic expansion in Europe.

Raissa De Haas, co-founder, Double Dutch, said: “Over the past few years there has been a real thirst for craft gins and this has meant that there is now heightened demand for mixers – from unusual pairings to on-trend flavours.

“That’s why attending trade shows like Anuga are vital to the growth of Double Dutch. The events are a great platform for us to showcase our products and allow us to network with the right people who will open doors into new markets. This year’s event was no different and we’ve come away with some great new contacts.

“Right from the start we recognised how important exporting would be to growing our business, and we’re very proud that our drinks are now enjoyed across the world, from Australia to Canada. We’ve worked with DIT since 2016 and its support has been invaluable in achieving this.”

Food Minister Zac Goldsmith said: “It is fantastic to see our food and drink businesses promoting their world-famous produce and forging new links with emerging markets.

“Anuga is an excellent opportunity to showcase the food and drink that London is renowned for, and builds on the continued success of British businesses and our Food is GREAT campaign.”

Minister for Investment at the Department for International Trade, Graham Stuart, said: “At £22.5 billion, UK food and drink overseas sales are at record levels thanks to the depth, quality, safety and welfare standards of our produce.

“The international appetite for British food and drink quality and brands has never been higher and the potential for growth is enormous. With DIT’s help I hope to see more and more British firms making the leap into new markets.”

The Anuga trade show followed a special pre-event networking opportunity held at The Belfry on the 3rd to 4th of October in Sutton Coldfield, where more than 20 food and drink businesses from London met with 60 overseas buyers. Producers had the opportunity to pick and choose which buyers they wanted to meet and establish potential partnerships with.

The latest statistics show that food and drink exports from London rose to more than £3 billion in the year to June 2019, up 3% on the previous 12 months.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by John Rodger .