Israel Romero / Friday, June 23, 2023 / Categories: Internacionalización USA: Difficult? Without connections and without a roadmap, it's a utopia. USA: a utopia? Europe is a market with strong French and Italian competition; Spain is a highly fragmented market with limited growth. Spain is fashionable in the United States, and the demand potential is very attractive. But is it difficult to enter that market? Let’s look at some of the keys to trying to conquer it. Lots of potential, but with its own rules Barriers to entry: bureaucracy and lack of clear strategies Marketing channels: which to choose Our recommendations Lots of potential, but with its own rules This is a country with almost 350 million consumers, which presents a great opportunity for international producers. In recent decades, the U.S. has experienced a considerable increase in consumption of foods from abroad. But why? The most influential group in U.S. food consumption are the “baby boomers,” made up of citizens over 50 years old, who control 70% of available disposable income — that is, what they can spend on what they want. They also show greater awareness of taking care of their health through food. That is one avenue our companies should emphasize: the health value their products provide, such as Extra Virgin Olive Oil, nuts, honeys, or natural sweeteners (there is a trend to eliminate products like sugar, artificial colorings, gluten, etc.), and consumers read labels to avoid these ingredients. The millennials are also a very interesting target audience because they have traveled, experienced other cuisines, have a lot of information via the internet, and are more willing to try new and more exotic products and cuisines. When buying food they look at things like organic certifications, recyclable packaging, products that support sustainability, and fair pricing. So we need to offer them products, among other things, with organic certifications, conveying that commitment to sustainability. And with the large number of international communities living there, not to mention the growing Spanish communities — Miami alone is a city with more than 100,000 compatriots and considerable purchasing power — this is a business opportunity we cannot pass up. Thus, we can say it is a very attractive market for Spanish gourmet brands to enter and generate good penetration. On paper, at least. Barriers to entry: bureaucracy and lack of clear strategies But the ease we find in the European Union market is not the same in the American country. Their laws for introducing international food products are strict, especially for categories like pork, but they are not insurmountable. I would even say we have more problems from our own customs than entering the United States. Yes, our customs have become terrible obstacles with excessive bureaucracy for Spanish brands, and instead of helping to facilitate their internationalization, they slow it down and disincentivize it. However, some brands that have been able to develop strategies that circumvented bureaucratic problems — and that were above all brave and persistent — have made America a reality, albeit still with limited presence. As I said at the beginning, the market is enormous, and its 50 states act as 50 different markets, with different laws and, in some cases, demographic profiles that are antagonistic to each other, so creating homogeneous communication and commercialization strategies is unworkable and totally inadvisable. It is clear that the markets to “attack” are New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C. on the East Coast; California, Arizona, Oregon and the state of Washington on the West Coast; Illinois in the Midwest; and Texas and Florida in the South. It’s still a lot of territory, so you must focus on key markets to avoid getting overwhelmed. Marketing channels: which to choose From the start of the 21st century until the pandemic, you could say importers who also acted as distributors were needed, or that importers used their distributor channels to reach the target market and, eventually, the end consumer. The digitization of food purchases, improved transportation and lower transport costs opened other equally interesting channels. At Made in Spain Gourmet we have our own formula for success, developed by Christian Müller, Global Director of Food & Beverage at Made in Spain Gourmet, who lives in Miami (of course that is essential for establishing yourself in the United States). With his vast knowledge of traditional channels and the barriers suffered by importers of Spanish products (he knows them all) and, as a true gourmand, he noticed the deficiencies the American market had and still has regarding our Spanish gourmet range; and on the other hand, my own contribution, bringing all the digital experience of gourmet sales in Europe, the communication strategy, new digital sales channels and the development of the value of the Spanish Gourmet Product concept (and of each brand we manage, currently more than 70). We are in the first year of adapting to the market, but we can say we are on the right track. And we can guarantee that if brands do not draw up a communications plan controlled by themselves, not by distributors, in addition to an appropriate go-to-market plan, the final result may not be what the brands would desire. The United States is a land of opportunities, but many of them are genuine silver bullets — that is, you only have one chance to succeed. So find the best shooter to achieve success. We are expert sharpshooters, finding the best moment and doing the most with the least possible risk. Spain can and should conquer America at a gourmet level, but it must partner more and better to achieve it. Like France and Italy. [caption id="attachment_26040" align="aligncenter" width="800"] USA: Difficult? Without contacts and without a roadmap, a utopia[/caption] Our recommendations M.A. Revilla Anchovies - in organic butter Cheeses from Quesería 1605 Black Label — nothing beats it. Now more than ever, products made in Spain. Print 5 Rate this article: No rating Please login or register to post comments.