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The latest export figures from the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) show that the value of branded food and non-alcoholic drink exports rose to £2.4bn in the first half of 2016, an increase of £141.2m (+6.2%) when compared to the same period in 2015.

Branded exports to non-European Union (EU) nations rose by £93.7m (+14%) on H1 figures from 2015, while exports to the EU also increased by £47.5m (+2.9%). Exports to non-EU nations now represent 31.4% of all branded exports, up 2.2pp on H1 of 2015.

Total exports of food and non-alcoholic drink grew by £528.3m (+8.7%) to £6.6bn, between H1 of 2015 and H1 of 2016, following a fall in overall exports in 2015, the first in ten years.

Click to download the Exports Snapshot from our home page (pdf)

A weaker pound at the start of 2016 meant UK exports were competitive in the first half of the year. With the price of the pound falling further since the end of June 2016, following the EU referendum result, it is expected there will be a further rise in exports before the end of the year.

The three export markets which saw the greatest value growth from H1 of 2015 to H1 of 2016 were Malaysia, up £46.9m (+268.5%), China, up £24.1m (+100.9%) and the United States, up £21.1m (+31.6%).

Ireland, Germany and the Netherlands made up the top three export destinations for branded UK food and non-alcoholic drink, with exports to the value of £598m (+1.2%), £228.6m (+7.6%) and £196.6m (-1%) respectively.

The top three product categories were chocolate, salmon and wheat, with exports of vegetables, both prepared and fresh, experiencing the largest value growth, up £27.7m (+17.9%) in H1 of 2016, when compared with H1 of 2015.

FDF has set an ambition to grow value-added food and drink exports by a third to achieve a total value of £6 billion by 2020. The 'Exports – Five Steps to Food and Drink Exporting Success' guide, developed by FDF and the Food and Drink Exporters Association (FDEA), was recently launched as part of an enhanced partnership aiming to help more of Britain's 6,500 manufacturers to export.

Ian Wright CBE, Director General, FDF, said:

“Following a weaker performance in 2015, the growth of value added exports we've seen in H1 is excellent news for our industry and a positive step toward achieving FDF's export ambition. It's also very pleasing to see non-EU exports performing beyond expectations, with UK firms taking advantage of increased competitiveness.

“We eagerly await the launch of DEFRA's export plan to see how government intends on supporting our industry overseas in a time of prospective economic uncertainty.”

Elsa Fairbanks, Director at Food and Drink Exporters Association (FDEA), said:

“FDEA is very encouraged by the improved export performance for the first half of 2016 which reflects the commitment that many food and drink companies are making to grow the international side of their business.

“A significant number of our members are reporting that their export customers are now proving to be a vital part of a thriving business.”

Register your business in a new export directory that aims to promote British goods on an unprecedented scale. Potential overseas customers and buyers from global markets will be able to search for UK companies and organisations that will supply the products, services and skills they need. The Directory will be launched in November 2016 and will be supported by international marketing activity to increase and sustain the ongoing demand for UK goods and services. The Directory heralds an incredible opportunity for the UK economy and is part of wider government plans for a digital service that will provide a world-leading platform for British businesses.

Visit https://directory.exportingisgreat.gov.uk to register your business interest in joining the UK Exporter Directory.

Further details of the service will be revealed as the offer develops in advance of its launch in November.

To find out more, visit www.exportinisgreat.gov.uk  

EU agri-food exports to third countries in March 2016 were worth €11,3 billion, about €1 billion higher than in February 2016, according to the latest monthly report on agri-food trade.  Click here to download and read more

The figures show the highest increase in exports to China - which were 11,8% higher in March 2016 than in March 2015. For the past 12 months, exports to China increased to €10,7 billion, a 33% or €2,6 billion rise compared to the same period one year ago.

For monthly export values, the highest increases were achieved for pork (from €318 million to €422 million in March 2016, an increase of 32,5%), followed by oilseeds (other than soya beans), some food preparations and wine.

Over the last twelve months, export values went up most for wine, which witnessed an increase of €783 million or 8% compared to the 12-month period one year earlier.

Source: European Commission

The Institute of Export have shared their thoughts on the Open to Export site on what businesses should be thinking about in light of the EU referendum result.

Following the EU referendum result, some businesses who are trading with the EU have expressed some concern as to the future of their business relationships with their EU customers and what they need to be thinking about now.

The first thing to remember is that little is expected to change in the immediate future. The referendum vote is simply a decision by the UK people, and does not trigger any instant changes. The first stage of a formal exit from the EU will be by the UK government invoking “Article 50 of the Treaty of Rome”. Thereafter there will be a negotiating process of up to 2 years, during which time the UK will remain part of the EU, and goods will continue to move free of customs clearance formalities or import duties.


Read more at Open to Export

An interesting read from the Washington Post:

Usually, when AnaMaria Friede goes to the Fancy Food Show — the trade show for makers of specialty foods and the stores that sell them — the first thing she does is flip over her badge so her name can’t be seen. It’s better for her to slip under the radar as she walks the 363,000 square feet of booths at New York’s Javits Center, sampling gluten-free brownies and fair-trade coconut water and vegetable chips, so many vegetable chips.

That’s because Friede is a buyer for the Mid-Atlantic region of Whole Foods Market, responsible for deciding which packaged cookies or frozen mac-and-cheese or jarred olives, among other things, you’ll pluck from the shelves of your local store.

Whole Foods, which has more than 435 stores and sold $15.4 billion worth of goods in the 2015 fiscal year, is “the barometer for if you’ve made it in your business,” said exhibitor Benjamin Frohlichstein, co-founder ofCappello’s, a sleekly designed line of gluten-free pizzas and doughs sold in some Whole Foods regions. “If we were coming to the show and we weren’t in Whole Foods yet, we would be desperate.”

In the grocery world, Friede is the equivalent of the scout who finds a kid with a good arm and sends him to the major leagues, or the agent who notices a pretty girl on the street and puts her on a runway for Paris fashion week. And because the many, many smart businesspeople at the Fancy Food Show know that about Friede, she tends to get ambushed unless she turns her tag around.

Read whole article here 

Source: The Washington Post

Twenty businesses have been selected from 245 entries and announced as recipients of the Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards 2016, Scotland’s most prestigious food and drink awards.

Jim Walker of Walkers was awarded for his outstanding contribution to the food and drink industry. The award recognised his work developing the family business from a village bakery operating only in Speyside to an international brand, marketed in more than 80 widely spread overseas markets.

Our congratulations go to Jim Walker on his well deserved accolade.

Read more on the Scotland food and drink website

in the Middle East and throughout the Muslim world, the holy month of Ramadan has just begun.  Ramadan in the UAE is a unique experience, in some ways similar to the pre-Christmas period in the Western world. 

Retail sales are greatly boosted during this period in almost all categories, but especially food & drink, clothing & apparel, giftware and homeware. 

Throughout the month of Ramadan there is a lot of emphasis on gift giving. Typical gifts will range from food & drink hampers to accessories for the home. While a lot of people will entertain at home, many will also take advantage of the many suhoor and iftaar buffets on offer at hotels and restaurants.

While the days are quiet and the food & beverage outlets are either closed or operate behind curtains, the city comes alive in the evenings. Almost all the malls have extended hours of operation well into midnight. These hours are extended even further in the lead up and during the three days of Eid.

In the last few years, Dubai has been operating the ‘Ramadan in Dubai’ festival which sees a lot of visitors, especially from the neighbouring GCC countries visiting the Emirate which also boosts sales for retailers. There are special discounts and offers and also cultural and educational activities organised at public places, typically shopping centres, for residents and visitors.

Read more at http://www.bcbuae.com/ramadan-and-retail-a-uae-perspective/

Source - British Centres for Business.

Food companies will get a unique chance to meet some of the biggest buyers in the huge £12.3bn British food and drink export market in Liverpool.

The International Food and Drink Summit, organised by the Food and Drink Exporters Association (FDEA) on the theme of “Has Niche Become Mainstream: Converting Global Trends into Export Sales” takes place on June 15.

It includes a full Meet the Buyer and workshop programme and, crucially, offers the opportunity for exporters and potential exporters to meet one-on-one with influential buyers.

They include UAE’s Lootah Premium Foods, Germany’s Dancake, Turkish buyers Demak, Indian firms Tree of Life and Big Basket as well as Ireland’s Flanagan’s Food and Scandinavian companies, Mathem and Galleberg.

Nicola Thomas from the FDEA, said: “British companies are ideally placed to take advantage of growing global niches in food and drink.

“Areas like organic, natural, free-from, indulgence, halal and kosher are growing rapidly and this summit will provide exporters and potential exporters with the insight and contacts they need to build sales in these channels.

“This is a key event in the UK food and drink export calendar and a golden opportunity for manufacturers to have pre-arranged meetings with key buyers from both traditional and emerging overseas markets.”

The event is part of the 2016 International Festival of Business.

Tree of Life India - one of the premier importers, marketers and distributors of organic, gourmet, halal and other speciality foods in India. – will be speaking at the event and there will also be expert case studies from Quorn Foods and Nairn’s and workshops entitled:

• ·         “Unlocking the German market”
• ·         “Sugar- The Global Challenge”
• ·         “India – reaching your niche”
• ·         “Logistics solutions for food and drink exporters”
• ·         “Understanding Halal & Kosher”
• ·         “Say it Right – Product labelling claims”

There will also be an opportunity to network and gain further insight into issues like, labelling and compliance, communications and credit risk.

For more information and to register for the event now, visit www.ukfdea.com and go to the events section.

FDEA Member Somerdale has been awarded the highly prestigious ‘Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade’

The Queen’s Award recognises outstanding achievement by a UK business in the growth and commercial success in international trade. Recipients are recommended for the Award by the Prime Minister and have today been approved by Her Majesty The Queen on the day of her 90th birthday.

The Award reflects the sustained growth Somerdale has achieved in the sale of high quality British cheeses and dairy products to an increasing number of customers in over 50 countries worldwide. The award recognises the quality of its products and its track record of building long term relationships with  customers and cheese suppliers based upon a commitment to providing service excellence.  

Stephen Jones is a member of the FDEA Management Committee and we are delighted to celebrate their success.

Chinese customers will now be able to enjoy Waitrose products following the a deal with Alibaba which allows it to export goods to China.

It will be the first time Waitrose has exported to a country via a website platform only and will give the world’s fastest growing ecommerce market access to its products and ranges. Waitrose predicts China could become its biggest international business in the next three to five years.

Waitrose products will be sold exclusively through the Royal Mail Store on Tmall Global, the online marketplace operated by Alibaba Group. Tmall is China’s largest third party online platform for brands and retailers to connect with hundreds of millions of Chinese consumers. Waitrose arranged the deal through Avenue51, which runs Royal Mail’s store on Tmall Global. 

The Royal Mail Store specialises in championing British companies and Waitrose will be one of its highest profile brands to date. There will be a dedicated Waitrose page within the Royal Mail’s online store with information about the brand for its new customers in China alongside the product listings.

An initial 30 products will be available from the Waitrose offer, including biscuits, tea, coffee, cereals and nuts as well as beauty, baby and organic ranges with more lines set to be added shortly after the launch. 

“The potential for Waitrose in China is huge and although it’s a relatively modest start it’s our ambition to see it become our biggest international business in the next three to five years," said Waitrose Commercial Director Mark Williamson. "We are proud that Waitrose is recognised around the world for quality and excited to be reaching new markets.”

“Chinese consumers seek out high quality British brands and Alibaba is happy to provide the platform for Waitrose to introduce its products to China’s homes and kitchens," added Amee Chande, MD, UK/Ireland & Nordics. "Alibaba Waitrose joins a number of leading British brands already available through the Royal Mail Store on Tmall Global and we hope that many others will follow given the potential that China offers to their business and the demand that exists for British products.”