ICNC Companies Explore New Business
Opportunities in the Canadian Foodservice Market
I’m proud to report that four ICNC small businesses successfully took part in the state of Illinois trade mission to the Canadian Restaurant & Foodservices Association trade show in Toronto, Ontario last week: Choi Brothers/Sunstarr Apparel, Empanadas Patagonia, Safari Roasters/Black Mamba Coffee and Upton’s Naturals.
Organized and run by the Illinois DCEO Office of Trade & Investment and the Illinois office in Toronto, the mission proved a valuable opportunity for our small business exporters to explore new potential business in the Canadian market – our NAFTA neighbor and Illinois’ largest foreign trading partner.
Organized and run by the Illinois DCEO Office of Trade & Investment and the Illinois office in Toronto, the mission proved a valuable opportunity for our small business exporters to explore new potential business in the Canadian market – our NAFTA neighbor and Illinois’ largest foreign trading partner.
Carol Lyman of Empanadas Patagonia serving
up her South American specialty.
Booth and travel costs for all of the participants were funded in part by the state’s ISTEP trade and export promotion program (in partnership with the Small Business Administration), which enabled even greater return on the participants’ investment in exhibiting at the show.
In addition to meeting potential Canadian sales partners and customers and making new industry contacts at the CRFA show, participants had a chance to explore the Toronto foodservice scene, making visits to grocery retail and local foodservice outlets, checking out their Canadian competitors and getting a feel for market conditions, despite snowy weather and cold March temperatures on the shores of Lake Ontario.
In addition to meeting potential Canadian sales partners and customers and making new industry contacts at the CRFA show, participants had a chance to explore the Toronto foodservice scene, making visits to grocery retail and local foodservice outlets, checking out their Canadian competitors and getting a feel for market conditions, despite snowy weather and cold March temperatures on the shores of Lake Ontario.
Dave and the crew of Safari Cup Roasters
keeping Canada caffeinated
As Director of our Illinois SBDC International Trade Center, I had the opportunity to accompany the participants to Toronto and experience the trade mission first-hand while supporting them at the show. Having done my undergrad business studies in Canada and being a regular visitor to Toronto and Montréal for many years, I can attest to the market opportunity that’s present there for many Chicago-area exporters – foodservice and otherwise – and was an enthusiastic supporter of the state’s mission to CRFA. While entering the Canadian market is nowhere near as simple as a ride across the Ambassador Bridge, exporting to Canada is a natural step for Chicago-area small businesses that shouldn’t be viewed as an obstacle.
While the quality of the Illinois CRFA mission participant companies speaks for itself, one of the highlights of the Illinois Pavilion at CRFA for me was the exhibitors’ diversity. I won’t go as far as to say that we were a microcosm of the Illinois foodservice industry, but the overall mix comes close: African coffee roasted in Chicago, South American-style empanadas, vegan seitan, Italian giardiniera, Greek gyros, Asian cooking sauces, traditional soups and gravies, gourmet vanillas and flavorings, marshmallows and snack foods, baking ingredients and high-quality chef apparel. Illinois, Chicago and ICNC were well represented.
While the quality of the Illinois CRFA mission participant companies speaks for itself, one of the highlights of the Illinois Pavilion at CRFA for me was the exhibitors’ diversity. I won’t go as far as to say that we were a microcosm of the Illinois foodservice industry, but the overall mix comes close: African coffee roasted in Chicago, South American-style empanadas, vegan seitan, Italian giardiniera, Greek gyros, Asian cooking sauces, traditional soups and gravies, gourmet vanillas and flavorings, marshmallows and snack foods, baking ingredients and high-quality chef apparel. Illinois, Chicago and ICNC were well represented.
Unah Choi and Ron Dickerson of Choi Brothers and Sunstarr Apparel
As the first Canadian orders as a result of this mission start to ship north over the coming months, I look forward to continuing our work here at the ICNC Illinois SBDC International Trade Center to assist other small businesses in their efforts to expand exports to Canada. Both the participants and I learned much from our experience in Toronto and I hope to put this new market knowledge to work for ICNC companies.