Exporters aim at Brits abroad
exporters to take advantage of large British expatriates overseas,
as the first step in establishing themselves in foreign markets.
FFB has pointed out to exporters that there are huge British markets in France of one million and Spain of 800,000 ripe to be taken advantage of. The Gulf States are another key market, where there are 180,000 British expatriates, 72 per cent of which live in the United Arab Emirates.
"The significant size of British expatriate populations and the increasing number of people from the UK traveling overseas undoubtedly provides opportunities for British export companies," said Chris Brockman, head of research and consultancy at FFB.
Booming British produce sales of £269.7m in South East Asian markets, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, act as a testament to the opportunity in exports. Demand is growing for products such as spirits, jams, sauces and condiments, teas and premium biscuits, in these markets.
"The size of expatriate population in each country and whether they're congregated in clusters or dispersed, the willingness of stores to stock and promote British products, and the number of specialized food and drink distributors working in your market all have to be considered," said Brockman.
The reports highlights for exporters which markets would be most receptive to their products. Cereal exports to Spain amounted to £27 (€39) in 2005, whilst in France beer, tea, coffee and chocolate are growth categories.
FFB is a market development consultancy for British food and drink companies, and helps build UK and international businesses for food and drink manufacturers. FFB is funded by industry and government and works annually with 900 UK food and drink producers.
