Welsh Food and Drink Producers Embrace Doing Business Virtually
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Rural Enterprise , 24th February 2021
With international travel not a viable option at the moment due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Welsh food and drink companies are embracing the new way of doing business virtually.
With the largest uptake of producers signed up to its virtual Trade Development Visit programme, the Welsh Government is supporting twenty five members of its Export Club to attend two virtual Trade Development Visits targeting Switzerland and Canada in February and March.
The virtual Trade Development Visits provide producers with a unique opportunity to make connections with prospective buyers, distributors and importers in a fraction of the time a physical Trade Development Visit demands.
Each participating company has a detailed itinerary of scheduled one to one calls with an in-market partner, followed by a market briefing and one to one meetings with pre-qualified buyers, importers and distributors, all done via video conference facilities.
Export is particularly important for the Welsh hospitality industry at the moment in such challenging times and Russ Honeyman, Commercial Director for Monty’s Brewery in Powys sees these two virtual Trade Development visits as vital for the business,
“This is a great opportunity to expand our export opportunities. In these tough times in the home market with pubs and bars closed, by participating in a virtual Trade Development Visit we can get our products in front of other markets without the need to travel. It is a new way of doing business abroad and I am looking forward to seeing the results”.
The UK has signed a trade agreement with Switzerland, while the UK-Canada trade deal will secure tariff-free trading on 98% of goods.
Lesley Griffiths, the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, said
“The Welsh food and drink sector has reacted to the current crisis with a characteristically innovative spirit, and a readiness to take advantage of new ways of working.
“During the global Covid-19 pandemic, international travel has become less and less of a practical option for our exporters – however, our virtual Trade Development Visit programme has posed an increasingly attractive alternative for companies who may have to physically stay in their home countries, but are still determined to highlight their products to international audiences.”
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https://businessnewswales.com/welsh-food-and-drink-producers-embrace-doing-business-virtually/