Sep 4, 2023

Midwest food companies offered export assistance

The Food Export Association of the Midwest USA (Food Export–Midwest) is offering assistance for food companies wanting to export their products.

Food Export–Midwest is a private, non-profit organization that promotes the export of food and agricultural products from the Midwest, including grains, oilseeds, livestock, dairy, beans and fruits and vegetables.

Food Export–Midwest is accepting applications for the 2024 Branded Program year. The Branded Program enables U.S. suppliers of food and agricultural products to increase their overseas marketing budgets to maintain and expand their share of export markets, as well as encourage new market exploration, according to a news release.

Made possible through the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) Market Access Program (MAP), the cost-share funding program assists small- and medium-sized U.S. suppliers to promote their U.S. origin food and agricultural products in foreign markets.

Once approved, participants receive 50% cost reimbursement on eligible marketing and promotional activities such as exhibiting at international and select U.S. trade shows, advertising, public relations, in-store promotions and merchandising, marketing and point-of-sale materials, freight costs for samples, foreign market-compliant packaging and labeling, international web site development and online marketing. Projects may range in size from a few thousand dollars to several hundred thousand in scope.

All small- and medium-sized suppliers are welcome to apply for the cost share program, Molly Burns, Food Export–Midwest Branded Program manager, said in the release.

The marketing opportunities help U.S. companies remain competitive in the exporting industry and gain exposure for their brands in countries around the globe. In 2022, Food Export–Midwest helped 587 companies explore new markets that supported more than 10,200 jobs and 320 new sales opportunities across food and agricultural businesses, according to the release.

Food Export–Midwest accepts applications from suppliers headquartered in its 13-state Midwest region, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

More information is available here.