Investing in Tunisia/North Africa

A quick trip back to DC last week took me to a State Department event to discuss a Tunisia Partnerships Forum to promote growth in North Africa's newest democracy and the country that spawned the Arab Spring.  There were numerous contributors to the success of the event besides the State Department, including the US Chamber of Commerce, National US Arab Chamber of Commerce*, the Tunisian American Young Professionals among others.  Always a pleasure to have the Ambassador, H.E. Mohamed Salah Tekaya present to participate on panels and lend his voice to the break out meeting on Tourism.  (A special thanks for the lovely hospitality he showed us at his residence, too!)

There was a lot of networking, and breakout sessions on tourism, franchising, and information communications technology.  Corner discussions were hardly limited to these topics, though, as many people see many areas of opportunities in this key country of 10-12 million people.

Having worked with companies, the Tunisian American Chamber of Commerce and the government of Tunisia for over ten years now, and with a new partner and office in the capital of Tunis, I have a deep interest in seeing Tunisian people and companies prosper.  This forum was an ideal venue to discuss the many opportunities that are presenting themselves to US and Tunisian companies.

 I am thankful for the opportunity participate in this important event, and look forward to 'continuing the conversation' about promoting various sectors of Tunisia with fellow attendees and other interested parties.

*Photos from the National US Arab Chamber of Commerce

Any End to Olive Oil Growth in the US?

Having just returned from the Fancy Food Show in Washington, DC, I was again reminded that you could probably fill the convention center several feet deep in all of the olive oil on display. Of course, I was there with my Tunisian contingent of producers, but the hall was filled with producers from around the world.



The US market is already impossibly crowded, and I don't hear people really clamoring for another bottle of olive oil. So is there any reason for all these olive oil producers to hope? Let's just say, the opportunity is still there.



Growth of olive oil use in the US has been remarkably consistent over the past years as the IOOC chart above shows. But where is the growth coming from? Certainly general awareness of olive oil as being a 'good fat' and excellent dietary addition is part of the answer. Taste versus other oils plays a role, to be sure. And maybe the super brands are growing by leaps and bounds. But it appears the real growth and diversity is coming from artisanal oil producers who are more concerned with quality than pennies a ton on blended (and possibly adulterated and/or deodorized)
olive oil imports.

Walk the Fancy Food Show floor and it's a trip around the olive oil world; Argentina, Australia, Israel, Morocco, Tunisia, Italy-Spain-Greece (of course), among MANY others. And don't forget the great oils coming from right here in the US. But these exhibitors don't appear to be the monster players. These are boutique labels that are bringing their stories to buyers and consumers.



And I think that's where the opportunity exists. Any good marketer will tell you people buy stories and not products, so for these small specialty producers with the stomach to attack a crowded market like the US, and with adequate resources to stick out the long battle, the rewards can be sweet, indeed.

So keep coming. Grow the 'olive oil pie' for everyone by sharing your stories, maintaining your exceptional quality, and promoting the sector. That way we can keep the numbers moving in the right direction.

Summer Fancy Food Show 2011

Same old show, new venue. Much ado was made about the move from New York to Washington DC for this year's Fancy Food Show. In the end, the show went on.

There were dire traffic predictions and I personally spoke with several exhibitors who either pulled out or were very apprehensive about turnout. According to sources with the NASFT, traffic in DC was expected to be about 18,000--about 1/3 fewer visitors than the 24,000 that typically come to the Javitz Center in NY.




But a funny thing happened, at least with our 100% Tunisian Olive Oil pavilion. The traffic numbers were indeed down, but the quality of those we spoke with seemed higher. We had the sense that there were fewer grazers and sample-grabbers, and more people with genuine product interest. We ended up with leads worth following, and that we believe will result in sales.

I'll be interested in hearing more from other exhibitors about their experiences at the Fancy Food Show in DC and projections and plans for the 2012 show. But I'm on board for another year, and if other exhibitors decide to stay home, that just means better odds for my clients.

A Return to Jordan

Last week was a wonderful experience for me, or maybe I should say re-experience, because I was fortunate enough to return to Jordan a reconnect with an amazing country and gracious people.

I returned as a guest of the Jordan Exporters Association and Mr. Halim Abu-Rahmeh who hosted a 2-day seminar on the US market and FDA consideration in the food and HBC industry sectors. I'm no FDA expert, but was fortunate to present with with someone who definitely is; Mr. David Lennarz of Registrar Corp.

The seminar spanned two days, March 21-22, and was held at Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation (JEDCO) offices to accommodate the groups in attendance. Private companies, trade associations, and members of the Jordan government were present to learn, exchange ideas and discuss the ramifications of approaching a market as lucrative, yet daunting, as the American market can be.

I extended my stay to visit with old friends and business associates, and to visit with new clients and companies interested in the US market to share our experience at HMA on successes and pitfalls.

We'll visit with the Jordanian delegation at the Summer Fancy Food Show in Washington, DC this summer, and I look forward to once again visiting and working regularly in Jordan.