China, the Asian giant, has become one of the most profitable markets in the world. Hundreds or even thousands of Spanish companies are trying to carve out a niche for themselves to export their products to the country. You could do it too, irrespective of whether you’re a traditional company, a sizeable company or an SME that operates as an e-business. It has never been easier to sell a food product overseas. But take care as it does present a challenge that needs to be tackled correctly.
How to sell food products in China
Spain is, without a doubt, globally renowned for its high quality food. That’s why we are able to project such a reliable image in these types of markets. However, your success will also depend on how you go about marketing your products. Let’s look at some of the principles that your business must be guided by.
1. Get to know current international trade legislation.
Each country has different laws and varying customs duties. Exporting to China is not the same as exporting to another EU country. Research the type of trade agreements between countries thoroughly. It is common for governments to incentivise international trade with subsidies or grants. Do your research properly.
2. Distinguish between investment and expenditure
Not all the money you spend constitutes an expense. Some costs will represent an investment for the future. It’s important that you know how to work out when you are investing in something that will bring benefits and when you are only making a payment for which you will receive nothing in return.
That involves adopting a more strategic mindset when planning your company and business activities. Try to have an overarching vision because entering international markets like China can be time-consuming.
3. The importance of creating a brand
When it comes to international marketing, nothing is as important as your brand image. Research the food culture in the country to which you are trying to sell your products. Understand the importance they attribute to the environment (if any), the way they structure their meals, etc. This will help you to highlight those aspects of your brand that dovetail with what they are looking for and what they already know. Adapting to this environment will be a hugely important process of cultural immersion.
4. Learn about the legislation that governs the food market in that country
It’s not enough to understand trade agreement rules. Understanding how you have to transport your products or what type of procedures you’ll have to follow will help avoid setbacks. Ultimately, food is always a highly sensitive product that is subject to rigid administrative and quality controls.
5. Speak the language and relate to the environment
The only way of doing business overseas is by making contacts. You also need a good understanding of the local context. That means understanding the unwritten rules, turning up at events and speaking the language. In fact, this is a crucial point. If you want to expand your business overseas, language will be key to gaining trust.
The need to work with a translation agency
It’s important that you add to your team a group of professionals who can help you make inroads into a culture that is not your own. But why is it so important to work with professional translators?
- Avoid misunderstandings. There’s nothing worse than making a mistake because you haven’t built positive relations with the other party. This delays the process and your work enormously.
- They will help you to make your communication faster and smoother. When you’re contacting your partners or stakeholders, you’ll need to work with translators. You can entrust them with ensuring your communications take place at a greater speed. In this way, your work won’t be interrupted and can be taken forward smoothly.
- You’ll integrate better into their world with your marketing campaigns, when sending messages to your associates or requesting permissions. Whatever processes you have to follow, you’re going to need to speak the language like a native. And that is something only a professional translator can do.
In conclusion, selling a food product in other countries is a challenge. And the Chinese market is currently probably one of juiciest fruits you can pluck. But you’re going to need to master the language. So, if you’re looking for Chinese translations or any other similar services, come to blarlo and we can help you.
This post is also available in: Español (Spanish) Français (French) Nederlands (Dutch) Deutsch (German)
