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Export services to Europe | Europe – All in One

 1080 720 Bosnakis Ioannis
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Your Exports to Europe – All in One

If you are interested to develop exports to Europe, Axis Blueschild are the specialised export consultants for the European markets. We offer a new, unique service called “Exports Europe – All in one”. With this service package we support our clients in their export development in currently 17 important markets of West and South Europe through one partnership.

Complete service for your exports to Europe

With our innovative export service solution you dont´t have to search and to manage representatives in every European market. Your company will develop exports to European markets with one partnership with Axis Blueschild.
With our export service for the European markets you minimize development time, development costs and administration costs.
We operate in each European market with our local teams, securing market development from the inside. This means that we operate close to buyers and consider on local market characteristics. With our market development from inside we increase performance and prospects of success for your exports to European markets.

The challenges in developing exports in Europe

Europe remains to be fragmented. Each European market has its own language, habits and business culture. So a customised approach is rquired. We overcome this barrier by operating in each market with our local teams, who know their market and how to develop business there efficiently.
At the same time by coordinating all markets within one project, we are able to create important synergies in sales development and logistics. These synergies can make the difference when it comes to a profitable export operation in the European markets.

Seated in Germany the economic heart of Europe

Axis Blueschild started in 2010 from Düsseldorf in Germany. We provide our services for your exports to Europe from the heart of Europe as Germany remains to be the strategic hub for business in Europe. With vast experience in export development we take care of a professional approach of European buyers.
Moreover when you make in Germany, the development of the other European markets will become much more easier, as Germany is a strong reference for all other markets in Europe.

Making your brand known in Europe

We are neither mediators nor we act as agents. At Axis Blueschild we operate under your brand as your export department. By this model we create brand awareness for you and all business relationships are directly connected and owned by you. We don’t create a unprofessional dependance. Even if you decide at some point to proceed with a different market development model, all common achievements up to this point are controlled by you and can be developed further.

Axis Blueschild – key account project management

Cooperating with Axis Blueschild you have one partner to communicate with. With a personalised service you will monitor together with your Axis Blueschild project manager buyer feedback, lead generation and sales development in each European market. The coordination and monitoring of our local teams is managed by us. This minimises for you the day-by-day work for overlooking so many markets. All teams are executing works on the same standards and specifications.

Exports to Europe need persistence and patience

For sure you cannot expect quick shots in European markets. All markets are mature with high level of competition. For developing sustainable business it takes systematic, recurrent and persistent communication with prospects. In our projects the very first goals is to become connected with the right people in the prospect organisations, to put your company on their radar and to persistently work on getting the chance for starting a cooperation.

The key for your exports to Europe is your export pitch

The success is strongly depended on your export pitch and on efficiently communicating your Unique Selling Points. As stronger they are as better the chances. We support our customers to develop a strong, appealing export pitch. As you know buyers are receiving many cooperation proposals every day and they don’t open them. So the challenge is to find a way to open the door. We achieve that combining a strong export pitch with a personal, systematic and professional approach.

Minimising export development costs

Our innovative service allows to achieve important synergies in project operation. For you it means significantly reduced costs for developing your exports to Europe. You save a huge budget and time for developing cooperations in each European market.

Why Axis Blueschild for your exports to European markets

At Axis Blueschild we are specifically strong in the European markets. For more than 10 years we support customers from abroad in the development of their exports to Europe. Our expertise covers consumer goods and industrial products as well.  With Axis Blueschild you get export teams in the main European markets from day 1.

Contact us for further information!

Export to European supermarkets – the challenge

 Bosnakis Ioannis
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Export to European supermarkets
– the challenge

For many FMCG products the most important channel in the foreign markets is the retail channel, as in many markets the super market chains are controlling more than 80% of the total business volume.
Most of the companies which focus their export efforts on the retail business, underestimate completely the entrance barriers and at the end spend a lot of money without any final result.

What you should before starting to approach retail clients:

Time to agreement 

The process of achieving a cooperation agreement with a retail chain, even if everything goes well, takes time. You have to calculate at least 12-18 months before a cooperation agreement is signed.

Process Milestones

The process with a supermarket chain is quite standardized and predictable, with specific milestones. Don’t hope for shortcuts.

Timing

A supermarket chain is not ready to list new suppliers when you are! Depending on their current agreements, they may have specific time slots to consider on new suppliers. Though, they usually prepare shortlists with new candidates and when the time comes, they will start negotiations with these suppliers. So, you have to get your company on this shortlist first.

Your Brand vs. Private Label

For many product categories, supermarket chains are open to cooperate with new suppliers only for their private labels. Anyway, you have to be clear, which cooperation model you are targeting, as the approach and the proposition is very different for both categories. As more diffused your approach, as weaker your proposal.

Costs

Trying to do business with retail clients is very cost-intensive. Starting from sending of samples up to multiple presentation and negotiation meetings. If 2-3 people of a company have to attend meetings with different supermarkets, the budget for traveling can reach very serious amounts.

Margins

Cooperating with a supermarket is for sure a low margin business and profits will come only through the volume. So you will need to develop a very specific price catalog, if you want to have chances to close the deal.

Packaging and labeling

Supermarket chain are very strict when it comes to packaging and labeling. You will be asked to deliver your products with very detailed requirements.

The agreement is just a next milestone 

Reaching finally the point of a cooperation agreement, you probably think that you have made it. Don’t, this would be a mistake. Having listed a new supplier, the supermarkets start with small numbers in a limited number of their shops, in order to test the customer acceptance and/or your reliability. This means in practice that even at this point you probably won’t make profits yet!

All above entrance barriers should not stop a producer from trying to get into business with major retail clients. In contrary, as better prepared a company starts the approach, as higher the chances of success at the end.

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The 4 major trends in export business

 Bosnakis Ioannis
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The 4 major trends in export business

Added-value services & innovation

In the last years the role of suppliers is significantly changing. It is not anymore about just delivering products. The key for profitable export business are added-value services and product innovation. Both can put you out the low-margin mainstream business and lead to higher margins and stronger loyalty from your customers. Buyers are expecting new, proactive support and advisory from their suppliers. Don’t wait your customers to ask for new products, provide them!

New business models

Standardised, high volume sales are outdated. Even big-volume customers expect nowadays flexibility and new supply models. In consequence, your business is threatened not from the known competitors but from unknown newcomers. Very often innovating start–ups outpace in no time the established market leaders. Size and economies of scale are no longer a guarantee for a strong market position. Just think of Tesla.

Selective lead generation

Generic mail campaigns or even expensive presence in fairs are not longer generating new business but are huge waste of financial resources. Customers will hardly pay attention to you! What is required are carefully evaluated short-lists of prospects, to which you can bring customised propositions, which are worth of reading!

Digital marketing & communication

Business is going digital! Digitalization is turning marketing, communication and even products upside down. This can be a serious threat, but in reality it is a huge opportunity to boost business.

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Exports development – There has to be a plan!

 Bosnakis Ioannis
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When it comes to the development of exports enterprises often lose their business logic and start to hope.

For example, they hope that a buyer or an agent which they met in a trade fair will turn out to become a major client and proceed to significant sales.
Or they hope that a request received by mail will be the start of a strong cooperation.
You never know, but for sure this is not the right way to develop sustainable international sales!
There are some basics every company has to respect in order to develop business abroad.

1. Strategy – Which are my target markets and why?
2. Product positioning – Which of my products have the best chances? What are my specific strengths which makes me interesting for buyers?
3. Targets and budget – What are my export targets per year? What budget I need to develop the market?
4. Promotion tools – How can I present my products and my strengths?
5. Client identification – Which are the clients I am interested in?
6. Buyer communication – How and in which time I can approach these buyers efficient and in a professional way?
7. Controlling – What is the feedback from the target market? What adjustments we have to do in order to optimize the market development?

The development of foreign markets has the same requirements as the sales development in your home market. Follow a plan and results will come.

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Make the difference – How less becomes more

 Bosnakis Ioannis
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Buyers of major markets like Germany, France and UK, are constantly bombarded with propositions from all over the world.
A common mistake: dispatch as much information as possible in order to attract attention regarding the company and products. The result is that buyers get simply overwhelmed and these approaches end up in their waste bin.
The key for successful buyer attention is:
  1. To be “to the point” and to summarize in the first approach these characteristics, which are important for buyers and make them feel that it is worth to invest their time. This first impression should demonstrate that the company not only has interesting products, but is also capable to meet the specific requirements of the market.
  2. To communicate the information in the buyer language. Even in times of internationalization it makes a difference for buyers and their team.
  3. To show presence in the market. It gives a lot of credits when a company lets somebody see that it doesn’t try to develop business remotely, but that it has permanent presence in the market and local points of contact and associates the buyers can communicate with.

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Exports of small food producers – challenges and opportunities

 Bosnakis Ioannis
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emmanouel margaritis

What are the challenges and opportunities for small food producers to develop exports?

One main barrier of course is the money, as exports require a minimum budget, independently from the size of a company. Many costs are not elastic, which means that the financial burden for a small company is very high.

But, it is not just about the money. For a small company even offering great products it is very difficult to get attention of buyers and become listed.

What are the most common mistakes small producers make?

I would point out two main issues: persistence and patience. The development of new partnerships cannot be achieved with few tries and in short time. As I like to say, a “No” from a buyer very often is not the end, but the beginning of the communication.

Keep in mind that in all product categories there is huge competition and buyers are overwhelmed by product propositions every day. All producers claim to have great products, so this is not the pitch which will lead to success.

What is a realistic time horizon for getting results in exports?

It depends on lot of factors as which market you want to develop, the channel and the unique selling points of your products. Export development is a matter of systematic efforts for years. Companies never stop to invest in developing their business in their home market, but surprisingly they expect to achieve exports within few months. This is not realistic.

Emmanouel Margaritis, born 1965 in Dortmund, Germany, has studied at RWTH Aachen business administration and marketing and has worked for international companies in different industries. He is one of the founding partners of Axis Blueschild an international export consultancy, managing many export development projects at international level. Since 2019 he is CEO of Global Food World.

Are exhibitions a good investment for small food companies to develop their exports?

My answer is a clear No. Waiting in a small booth for buyers to step by is an illusion. No buyer will come. They are an opportunity for exhibitors to meet their business partners, not to search for new suppliers. They have not time for that during a trade fair. If you want to meet a potential buyer during a trade fair you have to attract him many months before and get on in his meeting agenda.

Trade fairs have an decreasing output and you see that in many industries major, international fairs are even closing.

Though many producers we are talking to still feel happy about spending a lot of money, returning with many business cards finding out after months that the final results have been marginal.

There are smarter, cheaper and more efficient ways to develop your exports.

What are the more efficient ways?

A personal approach and a strong pitch.

Generic campaigns are not producing any result. A producer has to do his homework, by researching buyers fitting to his products one by one, identifying in a next step the relevant contact person, starting a personal approach and be ready to make a short, strong pitch. In reality you have only few seconds when starting a communication to explain why a buyer should consider on your products. Many producers are not sufficiently prepared and present just another good product. Again, this claim is not enough!

If not a good product, what else?

You have to focus on the real unique selling points. People are looking for more healthy, authentic, story-telling products. A producer should be able to communicate how his products are meeting these trends. Another important point is that buyers are evaluating aspects beyond of product specifications like lead times and flexibility for customisation.

Are new trends in food & beverages an opportunity for small producers?

Only theoretically, as buyers still don’t want to deal with many small producers day by day. This means that for a small producer the chances to get listed remain limited. This market paradox was for us the reason to develop the Global Food World project.

What is the Global Food World concept about?

Global Food World is offering significant benefits to both, producers and buyers. Producers can develop exports with a small subscription instead of huge budgets and become part of a strong, selective and international portfolio. Buyers on the other hand, have access to a variety of selective products, dealing with one partner. So, Global Food World is not a promotion portal, but a innovative facilitator solving real operational barriers on both sides of the food business.

How do you select producers for your portfolio?

Of course we are looking for products, which are fitting to our concept of high quality, authentic and story-telling products. But even more important for us is the commitment of producers. We are not interested in producers, who are looking for quick-shot business, but for partners understanding the challenges and willing to improve themselves step by step meeting the requirements of our B2B customers. It takes months and years to open a door to a strong buyer, but only seconds to close it for good. So we are not in a wrong rush and we expect our producers to share our vision for sustainable cooperations.

We have talked about the barriers for small producers, what about their strengths?

For me the most important strength of our producers is the fact that they are not managers doing a job. All of them are family-owned businesses producing products they really love and care about. We have many producers in our portfolio which are new companies started with passion to create innovative and well-designed products. We don’t want to argue with buyers about a cent more or less, but to convince them with great, unique products. This is what Global Food World is about.

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Exports to Europe

 Bosnakis Ioannis
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Exports to Europe

Markets within Europe may show a high level of saturation, with tough competition and little dynamism and yet, Europe to date still offers significant business opportunities for producing SMEs.

While companies embark on their journey to explore these opportunities, the most significant and unexpected challenge they encounter, other than the language barrier, is the lack of homogeneity of the various (otherwise unified) markets within the EU.

In addition, attempts to evade cost-intensive market development on the ground, ends too often with a cruel awakening and the rather costly lesson that there is no room for half-hearted undertakings, especially under the present conditions of full competition.

On the other hand, SMEs interested in developing their exports towards European markets have neither the financial capacities nor the human resources to establish a presence in the new markets. Besides, forming and maintaining export teams or establishing links with local partners takes years and usually a high investment.

In order to help overcome the above challenges, Axis Blueschild has worked out a comprehensive export development proposition, “Europe – All in One”, which offers the possibility for our clients to develop their exports in currently up to 25 European markets through one partnership, in conjunction with our local qualified teams.

The most striking and convincing advantage of the “Europe – All in One” proposition is the significant cost reduction of export development per market, achieved through the unique splitting of the setup, management and overhead costs, which pushes the actual cost far below the levels of any existing alternative when it comes to export development.

The concept of bundling export development, while approaching markets individually with local teams, forms an innovative and unique business proposition. It is typically addressed to small and medium-sized enterprises, interested to boost their exports efficiently, within a reasonable financial budget.

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The export pitch

 Bosnakis Ioannis
By:
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How strong is your export pitch?

In the last years, the distinction between major, mature and emerging markets has vanished. In all markets there is a hard competition with hundreds of strong competitors.
Buyers on the other hand show limited interest in listing new producers as they have their established, well-selected pool of suppliers.
They have to manage their day to day operation and  listing a new supplier is for them a time-consuming process.
An overwhelming competition and low interest for new listings minimize the chances of your export efforts.
Your only chance to get buyer’s attention is to offer an unique value, something your competitors don’t have.

A good product is not enough

Hopefully you don’t answer “a good product”, because this is the weakest claim you can make. All your competitors say the same.
To develop a compelling value proposition you should follow a structured process:

Step 1 Website

The corporate website is your business card. It is not what will bring you into business, but it can push you out from the very beginning. Your website should have a decent, state-of-the-art design and communicate the main characteristics of your company in a clear and user-friendly way. Though, over-sophisticated, over-loaded websites are not helpful, less is more!

Step 2 Qualifying your prospects

You don’t need a big list of prospects. A very generic market approach cannot lead to results. It is important to work over your prospect data, to evaluate them one by one and finally to select few prospects, who are fitting best to your products and services. The selection should be carried out based on specific, pre-defined criteria. Keep in mind that for example targeting at big retail customers is very challenging!

Step 3 Competition analysis

A strong value proposition starts from knowing your competitors. Before you approach a prospect you should know their current suppliers, analyse their products and identify points where you feel yourself superior.
Important criteria are:

  • product characteristics / product innovation
  • product advisory
  • flexibility in customization
  • marketing tools
  • lead times
  • minimum order quantity
  • price

Step 4 Competitive advantages / unique selling points

Don’t expect the buyer to explore and to recognise your competitive advantages. This is something you have to do, communicating them from the very beginning and to the point.
Focus on characteristics where you have a real advantage, instead of numerating many points, just because it is filling space.
Probably this is the hardest part in creating your value proposition. You need to be confident about your specific strengths!
In reality most of the times, companies make a huge list hoping that one of the points could be the right one for the prospect.
Probably not all of your products in your assortment are equally strong. Instead of presenting all your assortment, prioritise the products of specific interest for the specific

Step 5 Teaser presentation

The information is one thing, to communicate efficiently the information another! Your first goal in approaching a prospect is not provide all the information you have, but to get his attention and to awaken interest. This means that you have to create a teaser with limited, but selective information. Keep in mind you have seconds to convince a prospect to deal with you further. Once you have his attention, he will ask for all further information, which is needed to get into business.
As more customised your teaser, as more convincing it is. Invest time to adjust your teaser template to the profile of each prospect. This investment will pay off.

Step 6 Call script

Due to GDPR regulations you most probably will need to have a call first, before you can send your pitch to a prospect. This first call will last only few minutes and it is important to take your chance for presenting your company and your pitch in a professional and efficient way. There is no space for small talk. Prepare a detailed call script and prepare yourself before starting your calls.

Step 7 Taking advantage of prospects feedback

A common mistake is considering only positive responses as success. The very first goal in export development is the feedback of prospects especially if the decide that they won’t cooperate with you. Talking to them they can provide within seconds important inside information and valuable input regarding your value propositions. The feedback should be documented in a structured way and used within your company for evaluating and improving your proposition.
The value proposition is not a generic company presentation it is a process.
Ask yourself about how strong your current proposition is and make the required improvements.
You will see a significant increase in your export development performance.

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