Putting exports on map
GOLD Coast organic medicines, cosmetics, and food supplements are now being exported to the Middle East.
They are among more than $4 million in export sales and 19 partner agreements which 10 local companies have generated as a result of an Arab health trade show.
The new export deals were stitched up as a result of the Dubai trade show, which featured 4000 exhibitors from 70 countries and drew almost 100,000 visitors.
Local companies received help from the Gold Coast City Council, including mentoring, advice, branding and facilitating a stand at the show as part of the City of Gold Coast International Plan.
“This plan is helping promote the Gold Coast to foreign investors and to significantly increase the city’s export base,” Mayor Tom Tate said.
He said the trade show, with council assistance, allowed local businesses to grow and become more competitive on a global scale.
By exhibiting together under the one Gold Coastbranded stand, the 10 compan- ies were able to create a dominant presence.
The individual success stories included BJP Laboratories and Rochway, manufacturers and packagers of organic and non-organic complementary medicines, and producer of bio-fermented concentrated liquids/foods and freeze-dry powder supplements.
The Yatala-based company, which already exports to 30 countries, expects to significantly increase its export percentage and has signed distributors in UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Egypt. Its anticipated turnover is around $6 million.
Esti Siebert, sales director at BJP and Rochway, said: “We just had our first order from Dubai as a result of the show which was around $19,000 worth of product.”
Shannon Graham, business development manager at Nerang-based Graham’s Natural Alternatives, said the company’s third year at the Arab Health trade show was anticipated to result in $1.5 million in sales.
“We have all our markets covered in the Middle East now,” she said. “We were actually asked to develop four new products for one of our distributors under our own brand.”
First-time exhibitor, cosmetics manufacturer Natalie Group, secured $64,000 in direct sales and is now in advanced negotiations with distributors in Pakistan, India, Russia, Jordan, Iraq and Iran.
Chief executive Claire Mitchell said: “We currently export to the US, UK, Canada, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand and Sweden and really wanted to get some traction in the Middle East.”