Page 16 - Food&Drink Magazine Jan-Feb 2019

EXPORTS
The ABC of export
There are six essential steps to succeed in export, according to Export Connect director Najib Lawand. In the first in a six-part series, he presents the case for adding exporting to your company's winning game plan in 2019.
commercial ties in these regions; 62 percent of all Australian food exports currently go to Asia and Oceania.
LOCAL LIMITATIONS
The Australian market is both limited and mature, which means that for food and beverage companies selling into Australia, the channels are few. According to the Australian Food and
Grocery Council’s recently released State of the Industry Report 2018, Australia’s food and grocery sector saw a small two per cent dip in the last two years (in the context of 1.3 per cent real growth over the past five years). Coles, Woolworths and a smattering of independent chains define the limit; a reflection of our relatively small population. If you’re growing domestically and there isn’t much opportunity to extend further, the only way forward is beyond our borders.
If you’ve established a presence in Australia,
you can achieve faster and greater growth by catapulting your brand’s success into international markets.
EXPORTS make a significant contribution to the Australian economy. In 2017, 21 per cent of our national GDP came from the export of goods and services.
Australian exports reached an all time high of $37 billion in September of 2018, and averaged $11 billion from 1971 until 2018. And the food and beverage sector is a significant contributor to Australia’s export success. In the 2017 financial year, food exports generated approximately $43 billion; and the food and beverage manufacturing sector created a trade surplus of $9.6 billion in the same year.
Here are some other good reasons to get in on all of this export action.
DOLLAR DAZZLER
The value of the Australian Dollar has dropped, compared to the value of our
major competitors, the USA and Europe.
Global markets surged higher at the beginning of 2018, and the Aussie dollar achieved US81.36 cents, yet it has been falling at a steady pace since. The AUD, for example, lost almost 13 per cent against the US dollar in the eight months since the end of January 2018. Foreign exchange experts also believe this trend will continue, at least in the medium-term, making our products more price-competitive for the foreseeable future.
GREEN AND GOLD
Australia’s reputation on the global stage is solid. Clean, green manufacturing and stringent food standard certifications have ensured that we live up to our reputation as a land of beauty, rich and rare. The USA, for example, produces certified organic products which are not guaranteed
GM-free; whereas Australian certified organic products are. And while countries from every region are producing more free-from foods and beverages, Australia is known for its more natural foods and beverages, which are closer to the source.
SUNNY WEATHER AHEAD
The demand for Australian food and beverages is forecast to grow quickly. According to reputable US research group the Brookings Institution, the number of middle class consumers is increasing globally, especially in many developing economies. This is especially true across Asia and Oceania, whose populations are forecast to grow to 3.5 billion (65 per cent of the world’s total) by 2030. Global demand for food is likewise predicted to grow by 59 per cent to 98 per cent by 2050. Relatively close to these nations, we also have well-developed
16 | Food&Drink business | January-February 2019 | www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au