Page 21 - TFWA World Exhibit 2023 Special Edition

INSIDER

CITRA: Championing small business exports

CITRA Inc., the company founded trade between Europe and the U.S. We do
by travel retail specialist Bart Collins, all the homework and are able to act as a
is a finalist in the 2023 Go Global bridge between a small business in the U.S.
Awards hosted by the International Trade and the European countries,” he says.
Council in the Sustainable Solutions CITRA is currently in the process
category. The winners will be announced of launching the Anne Klein watch brand
at a ceremony held in early November from E. Gluck Corporation into the
during a 3-day high-level networking domestic market in the EU. CITRA is also
program, encompassing panel discussions, achieving impressive success exporting
conferences, B2B and governmental-level the healthy vitamin enriched Hylux water
meetings, and a gala awards dinner. internationally.
According to the organization’s “WHSmith just extended the listing
website, the 2023 Go Global Awards is Bart Collins, CITRA Founder for Hylux for another year. It is the highest
a global platform for businesses seeking priced water in the assortment but number
to extend their reach and establish a two in sales,” says Collins.
formidable presence in the international exports. But the United States lags far He also represents travel accessories
marketplace. This government-sponsored behind the rest of the world. from Cloud and, as one of his most recent
event, hosted this year in Rhode Island, “The truth is that Europe does not brands, has been working with a start-up
USA, invites companies from all over want to deal with exports from small U.S. out of Detroit for a completely sustainable
the world to vie for recognition of their companies. They prefer to deal instead with line of baby clothing called ezdoezit.
outstanding achievements, innovation, and farm, defense and big manufacturers. This “I have been mentoring the woman
leadership. is so unfortunate, because as a group small who created the line for the past year and
Collins, whose TR career included companies in the U.S. pay more in taxes we had a very successful show in Las
a stint as president of Aer Rianta than major multinationals, they hire more Vegas. Target is going to take the line and
International Sardana at JFK, has expanded people and are less inclined to lay them off we now intend to take it to the international
his remit from duty free to help small when times are tough. Small companies market. This is the brand that is a finalist
U.S. companies export their products keep this country afloat,” explains Collins. in the Go Global Awards in the Sustainable
internationally. He is passionate about the In addition, he points out that the U.S. Solutions category.”
struggles that small U.S. companies face is not export-oriented at all, and most small “I am a firm advocate for small
when they export from the U.S. to foreign companies have no idea how to approach and medium businesses. There are some
territories. the export market. brilliant inventions out there that deserve
Collins says that exports from the To overcome these challenges for a wider audience. It has been a fascinating
U.S., as a percentage of GDP, is around his own brands, Collins set up a company ride and I am really happy with these
10%. Exports in the Eurozone, on the in the Netherlands from which he also companies I work with.”
other hand, are well over 54% — a huge helps other companies export, providing
disparity compared to the U.S. Globally, infrastructure, expertise and consolidation. For more information, contact Collins
95% of the firms exporting are small and “We met with the U.S. Embassy in at bcollins@citra-inc.com
medium sized businesses that historically The Hague about how to stimulate more
have contributed between 20-40% of total

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