Q&A: What are common barriers to selling products internationally? - Athena Marketing International/AMI Consulting

There are many questions that a North American food & beverage manufacturer has to consider when going global and reaching out into international markets.

A common question we are asked is: What are common barriers to selling products internationally?

AMI has sold food, beverage, nutritional supplements and consumer goods in over 100 countries. Here are the common barriers to exporting that challenge North American brands.

Ingredients – Many countries do not allow certain ingredients, herbs or botanicals that are perfectly legal in North America. AMI understands these regulations and avoids problematic markets, thereby saving our customers time and money and increasing sales quicker.

Packaging – Nearly every country requires unique packaging, save about 17 worldwide. Most markets require a sticker or film in their respective foreign language, and in the format required of all local and imported products. AMI also assists our customers to ensure their packaging is compliant in each country in which we sell their products.

Pricing – With a historically strong US$ and premium, innovative products, many North American products are not price competitive in foreign markets. In addition, freight rates have increased dramatically in the past two years, exacerbating the gap between local products and imports. One means of becoming price competitive and taking market share is to price export products from a marginal contribution perspective, rather than loading in all fixed costs. With this pricing strategy, all profits drop to the bottom line.

Have more questions or need help crafting a global sales & marketing strategy? We can help!