IMPORT EXPORT: The Small Exporter’s Secret Weapon

Republished from the blog Profit and Leadership December 16, 2013
BRANDAID Food can arrange for interested exporters to be connected to a TEC Peer Advisory Group 



The Small Exporter’s Secret Weapon







Imagine a group of your wisest non-competing colleagues providing free advice on cross-border business strategy. It’s happening already. 


Breaking into a new market can be a daunting venture for an exporter. Not only do you need to know the key players and nuances of that market, you also need to consider the implications for your domestic operations.


Often, a CEO embarking on such a task might recruit a board of advisors to fine-tune the company's strategic approach. Unlike a board of directors, a board of advisors is a resource that can be used at the discretion of the CEO.

A recent trend has seen some tweaks to the advisory board model, however. Bruce Harbinson, chair of mentorship firm TEC Canada for the Toronto region, says a growing number of CEOs—especially those running small and medium-sized businesses—are participating in what he calls "peer advisory boards."

These groups, run by organizations such as TEC, are made up of no more than 15 CEOs who meet once a month to share advice and help each other work through business challenges. While a board of advisors benefits only the CEO who created it, a peer advisory group allows participants to both receive and offer advice.

"The learning quotient for a CEO is just unmatched," says Harbinson. "They get to learn at an accelerated pace by watching 15 other businesses in action every single month. They see what's working and what's not."

What's in it for the exporter?
If you're looking to expand your business across the border, a peer advisory board can help you ask the right questions and make important on-the-ground connections, says Harbinson.

He recalls how, as part of a peer advisory board, he was able to help a struggling industrial robotics company turn its fortunes around. The company's CEO had returned from Australia with a new industrial welding technology and was weighing whether he should sell into the U.S. market or stick to his home turf in Canada.

The peer advisory group came up with a list of things the company needed to do in order to accelerate its presence in the U.S. Within 60 days, sales were being made south of the border. "It probably would have taken him 18 to 24 months to get into the same position if he wasn't connected like that," says Harbinson.

Even if the other members in your peer group don't have experience in your target market, they can help you strategize by looking at your situation from the perspective of someone running a business, says Harbinson. "They get very good at that; forcing the CEO to take stock of all the different questions that have to be answered, be they ones at home or pertaining to export markets."

Advisors also can introduce you to people who can explain country-specific regulations, from customs and duties to the nuances of intellectual property law.

A couple years ago, psychological assessment firm MHS decided to start distributing one of its human resources products, a method for evaluating the emotional intelligence of leaders, in India. The country's large English-speaking market was a big draw for MHS, as it meant that the company could sell existing products rather than produce new ones.

MHS needed distribution partners for the new initiative, but didn't know any of the key players.

Company president Hazel Wheldon was able to connect with a consulting firm that has a vast network of connections in India through her peer advisory board. The consultants, in turn, introduced Wheldon to dozens of people in India who itemized relevant cultural issues such as local leadership styles and the challenges India-based companies face when recruiting and hiring executives.

"When I actually got to interview potential distribution partners, I had a lot more knowledge and better questions to ask," says Wheldon. "That ultimately led to two partners, which was the best outcome I could possibly have imagined."

Alexandra Posadzki  
Check out my new e-book entitled: "Social Media Marketing in Agri-Foods: Endless Profit and Painless Gain"

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INCREASED CROP FREQUENCY MAY BOOST FOOD SUPPLY

Published November 27, 2013 in Food Product Design

Posted in News, Agriculture, Science & Research, Crop, International, Water, Sustainability, Fruit, Fruits / Vegetables, Vegetable, Grains, Grains / Pasta / Tuber, Corn, Soy

MINNEAPOLIS—Harvesting existing cropland more frequently could substantially increase global food production needed to feed the growing population without clearing more land for agriculture, according to a new study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota tracked global harvest trends of 177 crops between 1961 and 2011, and found that the total amount of land harvested increased four times faster than the total amount of cropland between 2000 and 2011, suggesting that harvest frequency was on the rise.

To determine whether or not existing arable lands are capable of getting more frequent harvests, researchers introduced the "harvest gap"—the difference between actual per-year harvest frequency and the maximum potential frequency. Researchers estimated that on average an extra harvest is being missed globally every two years due to the presence of this harvest gap.

Africa, Latin America and Asia have the highest concentration of potential harvest gaps. Brazil, for example, which on average harvests its croplands nearly once per year, has a harvest gap of 0.9, suggesting that on its current arable lands a second harvest is possible each year. Closing the gap would boost crop production on existing croplands without resorting to further clearing for agriculture. Increased harvest frequency also holds potential for mitigating risk under a changing climate. Worldwide, the researchers found that closing harvest gaps worldwide could theoretically boost production more than 44%.

In addition, researchers said that efforts to increase crop harvest frequency must also be wary of leading to deterioration of soil, water and the agricultural land base. "Depending on local environmental conditions, agronomic practices and social contexts, increasing cropland harvest frequency could present a short-term gain in crop production, with long-term losses in agricultural yields and environmental conditions. Only if increasing frequency of harvests can be done sustainably is this strategy a potential way to address some of the challenges of crop production and food security," researchers said.

Localized studies suggest that farmers around the world already are benefiting from increasing the number of harvests. Countries in which cropping frequency already is increasing include Brazil, India and China.

Sources:

• University of Minnesota: Increasing cropping frequency offers opportunity to boost food supply

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