At the Food Expo at the Metropolitan Expo Center in Athens last month, one of the workshops focused on Foreign Markets and How to Approach Them: USA. Nickolas Nicolaou of Loumidis Foods in New Jersey and Kostas Mastoras of Optima Foods and Titan Foods in New York discussed some important points for Greeks interested in exporting to the USA to consider.
Mastoras pointed out that exporting to the US takes more than an idea and a good product; these are only half of what is required. It is also important to consider much more, including the following questions: can the factory produce enough for even a segment of the American market? Does the company have the budget required to get a product into an American supermarket, where free samples, frequent special offers, and advertisements are expected?
Nicolaou emphasized that the USA is a big country where each state is different, and consumers range from McDonalds fast-food customers to vegan environmentalists who avoid cows’ milk. While cautioning that the New York City market may be the most difficult to enter, so that he recommends trying elsewhere, he and Mastoras agreed that the northeastern US is a good target because of its large immigrant population familiar with Mediterranean foods (for example, from Washington DC to Boston).
Nicolaou called Texas a trend setter and mentioned that a city like San Francisco, way over in California, requires higher shipping costs. Mastoras added that the West coast is more trendy, with a great interest in organic foods. The main point is that it is essential to choose your target area very carefully.
Mastoras advocated participating in expositions, and he and Nicolaou agreed that Kosher certification is both easy and crucial for entry into certain American markets, for example Costco. Mastoras also recommended asking potential buyers what they want, then finding or creating it.
Mastoras and Nicolaou agreed that with so many olive oil brands available in the USA, it is important to offer something very different (such as olive oil as a medicine). Health benefits are important to many Americans, so labels should emphasize them. A distinctive Greek story can also appeal to American customers if used well in marketing.
