Finding buyers for fishery products

There are various ways to come into contact with importers and other possible trading partners in the EU: joining large networks, attending trade fairs, company visits, etc. The goal of this module is to provide practical information to help you find, select and approach EU potential buyers for fishery products.
Focusing on your trading partner
Before you start looking for trading partners, it is important to get a clear idea of who you want to target. As an exporter from a developing country (DC) the best thing is to find a partner that matches your company. This implies first assessing your own company and determining what products you want to export and to which country. This is done based on the statistical information, your knowledge of the market and by asking around in your business network. For more information, refer to the CBIs modules on product strategy and country selection. Once you have decided on what product and country provide the best opportunities, you can start by setting up a profile of the buyers you want to target using the following criteria: Product range: ideally, your buyer will already sell the products that you offer (or similar). EU buyers of speciality fishery products are generally smaller. There are, however, an increasing number of larger traders with a broad range of products in their assortment. Trustworthiness: reliability and trust are two very important aspects in the fishery products market. The large distance between buyer and seller and the subjective opinions regarding product quality and status can lead to friction between you and your buyer. Communication is key! Ensuring a long product shelf-life and making clear agreements on quality, price, payment and logistics will reduce the risk of conflict. Place in the supply chain: there are different ways to approach the EU market. You can through agents, importers, retailers, the food service market and processors. What type of distribution you choose will depend highly on the size and organisation level of your company. It can prove hard selling to the retail channel and foodservice market without the use of importers due to their demands regarding distribution, traceability and reliability of supply. Most DC exporters will therefore sell to importers and through agents. Supermarket chains increasingly seek to ensure their supplies through direct contact with fish exporters. Active in your region: ideally, your buyers will already be active in your region. This means they will know the local market and are able to visit regularly. Financial reputation: find information via credit insurance companies; financial institutions or via networks on creditworthiness and financial morals.

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Finding buyers for fishery products

You should not limit yourself to finding an ideal buyer that fits the profile perfectly. You can also try to find buyers that fit part of the profile. For more information on trade channels in the EU, refer to the different CBIs modules on trade structure and channels for different sub-sectors of fishery products.

Finding buyers
The profile you have established will provide you with important clues that will help you look for buyers. The Internet will be very important in this phase as you have a large distance to your the EU market. There are many specialised fishery websites that can assist you (refer to the links provided at the end of this document). There are several fishery databases that make it easy to target buyers. These websites also offer information on what type of company (e.g. retailer, processor) it is, where they are located and what kind of products they sell. For buyers of sustainable products it is best to look on specialised websites. For more detailed information about a potential buyer, you can visit the companys website. This will show you more about whether a company fits your profile. It is also very important for DC exporters looking for trading partners: To build a network with potential customers in the EU and possible partners in their own countries; To consider commercial agreements with EU buyers who are increasingly developing partnerships with preferred suppliers. They do so by visiting the country of interest, through recommendations and visiting fairs. Box 1. EU companies active in the EU After listing potential trade partners, evaluating them should be done according to clear criteria of relevance to your company. Important questions you should ask yourself are: In case you are approaching importers or agents it is interesting to look at what industries they are active in. What products do they offer? The more they specialise in your product type, the better! What sales territory do they cover? Where are they located? What distribution channels and market segments do they serve? Who are their customers? If you are approaching an importer or processor, it is also important to review your supply possibilities, buyer requirements, volume requirements, just-in-time requirements, etc. Next to this, it is relevant to look at their added value to your market entry opportunities. You would want to know about their reputation, network, methods of working, additional services, creditability, etc. For more information on possible selection criteria, refer to the CBI's Export Marketing Planner document.

How to approach buyers?

The most common ways for DC exporters to approach European customers are: International trade fairs; Direct (e-) mail; Attending online fishery products auctions; (1)Sending offers and carrying out a negotiation process (as follow-up); (2)Sending samples and promotional materials (as follow-up); Personal visits (as follow-up); Inviting potential customers to visit their sea fleet or aquaculture farm.

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Finding buyers for fishery products

Box 2. Contacting buyers The best thing is personal contact, but considering most people you would like to contact are in the EU, this might be hard. Contact by telephone has some advantages over contact by email. People are more likely to answer questions by telephone while, at the same time, phone conversations are direct and personal. It is important to be prepared before contacting anyone. Use Skype to bring down telephone costs. Always be prompt in your replies and make sure that the expectations you raise with your buyer are in your grasp to meet. The first step after finding a trade partner, which is often requested by the buyer, is to send a commercial offer. Minimum requirements for a general business offer should include: A precise product description; Attached photos of the product(s); A price quotation, preferably according to Incoterms 2000; Delivery capacity per year; Window of supply (seasons); Possible delivery date(s); Export references; Quality certificate; Name of contact person; Contact details: address, telephone, facsimile and e-mail address. A way to increase the effectiveness of the offer is to follow up with a telephone call. The exporter should also be prepared to send a sample of the product(s) offered, since a prospective buyer will most likely not place an order before an evaluation of a sample has been made. It is therefore very important that the sample corresponds exactly to that of the business offer.

Trade fairs
Buyers and suppliers often find each other at trade fairs. Visits to trade fairs are therefore a good way of increasing exposure of your company and products, as well as to get to know your competition. Moreover, exhibitors lists can be used to find business connections: European Seafood Exhibition http://www.euroseafood.com world's largest seafood fair held every year in Brussels, Belgium. Next event: 24-26 April 2012; Fish International http://www.fishinternational.com - most important German trade fair for the fishery business, with sustainability being a main topic. Takes place every two years in Bremen. Next event: 12-14 February 2012; Conxemar - http://www.conxemar.com - Spanish largest international frozen fishery fair held every year in Vigo. Next fair: 2-4 October 2012; Anuga - http://www.anuga.com - leading trade show for the trade, food service and catering market. Hosted yearly in Cologne, Germany. Next event: 5-9 October 2013;

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Finding buyers for fishery products

EventsEye - http://www.eventseye.com - general trade fairs search engine.

Trade associations
Besides meeting prospects at trade fairs, professional trade associations are valuable sources to find potential trading partners: Seafood Importers & Processors Alliance (SIPA) - http://www.seafoodalliance.org go to Members to find international seafood importers and associations contact details; EU Fish Processors and Traders Association (AIPCE-CEP) - http://aipce-cep.org go to Membership where national federations and fish associations at EU level are included.

Networks and databases

Globefish - http://www.globefish.org - FAO unit responsible for information on international fish trade go to The Fish Info Network; Sea-Ex - http://www.sea-ex.com - Seafood, fishing, aquaculture, marine & angling directory portal go to Seafood select Skype Directory; The Fish Site - http://www.thefishsite.com - website for the global aquaculture industry go to Business Directory; Fish - http://www.fis.com - information and services fish portal go to Companies Directory; The Food World - http://www.thefoodworld.com - food exporters and producers directory go to Seafood, Fish Products category; Foods for Trade - http://www.foodsfortrade.com - leading B2B marketplace for the food industry go to the category Fish; Europages - http://www.europages.com - multilingual EU B2B search engine which includes a Buy & Sell marketplace; Greentrade - http://www.greentrade.net - largest marketplace for producers, manufacturers and distribution networks in the organic industry go to Directory select Search directory to carry out a research on country, category, product and buyer.

This survey was compiled for CBI by CREM B.V. in cooperation with Siegfried Bank. Disclaimer CBI market information tools: http://www.cbi.eu/disclaimer

Source: CBI Market Information Database URL:www.cbi.eu Contact: marketinfo@cbi.eu www.cbi.eu/disclaimer