Georgia Department of Economic Development International Trade Managers Priya Verma and Josh Jacob along with nine Georgia companies traveled to Shanghai last week to attend Asia’s largest food and beverage exhibition, SIAL China. This annual trade show regularly draws more 100,000 professionals from 105 countries.

SIAL China is the top trade event for making in-roads into China’s food industry, presenting ideal opportunities for Georgia businesses to make connections with potential partners and distributors. Attending international shows like SIAL China allows Georgia food and agriculture companies to identify new international buyers and customers. With 95% of the world’s consumers located outside of the United States, developing new international markets instantly expands a company’s pool of potential customers

As the largest industry in Georgia – the state consistently leads the nation in production of poultry, blueberries, peanuts and pecans – it should be no surprise that GDEcD’s Trade Team includes two full-time professionals dedicated to helping Georgia food and ag companies grow internationally. Agriculture-related exports have grown more than 61% in the last decade reaching $4.2 billion in 2017.*

China is Georgia’s third largest market for total exports and second largest agriculture export market with more than $387 million in Georgia ag-related products sent to China in 2017. Leading export commodities from the state include forest products, peanuts, tree nuts, cotton and pork.*

Georgia businesses with a serious interest in selling their product overseas can create a larger impact when they travel to new markets and establish a brand presence at leading international trade fairs. However, navigating the logistics and costs associated with these endeavors may seem daunting to smaller companies who don’t always have the resources to do it alone. This is where GDEcD’s Trade Division can help.

GDEcD’s international trade programs allow small, innovative Georgia companies an opportunity to showcase their products and services at world-renowned tradeshows without the high-costs of purchasing individual booth space. Participating companies can co-exhibit in a Georgia, USA-branded booth with GDEcD trade staff on-hand 24/7 to support booth set-up, drive show traffic, arrange B2B matchmaking appointments and more.

GDEcD’s tradeshow support starts from the very beginning when companies first apply to exhibit in the Georgia, USA booth. Our trade managers work one-on-one with interested companies to assess market readiness and make sure that each trade event is the right fit for their international goals.

One of the most valuable resources available to companies in their international efforts is Georgia’s network of international representatives located in 12 strategic markets across the globe. In the months leading up to SIAL China, GDEcD Trade Managers Josh Jacobs and Priya Verma worked with Georgia’s trade team in China to prepare market intelligence and research reports for each company planning to attend the show.

GDEcD’s trade representatives in China, Paul Swenson and Jane Zheng, helped customize the SIAL China tradeshow experience, using their extensive network of contacts to set up personalized B2B appointment schedules for each participating Georgia company. These meetings with vetted foreign buyers frequently lead to new deals and partner contracts.

Of the nine Georgia companies who attended this year’s SIAL China show, five companies participated in the official Georgia, USA delegation, representing all corners of the state. Two additional Georgia companies exhibited on their own and two others exhibited with the Southern United States Trade Association.

SUSTA is a non-profit organization funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Southeast member states and private companies. Through its Market Access Program, the USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service partners with SUSTA and small businesses to share the costs of overseas marketing and promotional activities that help build commercial export markets for U.S. agricultural products. These programs offer an additional option for Georgia food and agriculture companies looking to attend shows like SIAL China but are unable to afford the costs of exhibiting on their own.

As an active member state, Georgia’s trade managers support SUSTA activities through outreach, event promotion and awareness of SUSTA’s unique resources and programs like the 50% CostShare program. Companies that qualify for CostShare are reimbursed 50% of eligible marketing expenses used to promote U.S. food products in foreign markets. Many of the Georgia businesses who work with GDEcD’s trade managers take advantage of this successful program to help their resources go farther in global markets.

GDEcD’s Trade Team partners with SUSTA to ensure that Georgia food and agricultural companies have access to all available federal and state resources to grow their exports across the globe. Both Georgia companies exhibiting with SUSTA at SIAL China, also work with GDEcD trade managers to take full advantage of the state’s international trade resources to grow their global footprints.

Making opportunities like SIAL China accessible to Georgia companies is what GDEcD’s Trade Division is all about. The state’s trade resources provide cost effective options for Georgia companies of any size to connect with new business worldwide.

Georgia companies attending SIAL China 2018 include:

• AJC International

• Front Porch Pecans

• Golden Island International

• Hudson Pecan Company

• Interra International

• Multifoods

• Phoenix Green Food

• Refresco

• Sweet Grass Dairy

From the Georgia Department of Economic Development