Background
The Singapore Trade Development Board (IE Singapore) and Export Solutions have enjoyed a long and successful working history.
IE Singapore had previously engaged Export Solutions for a number of trade fairs including the world's largest ICT trade fair, CeBIT, and Europe's biggest electronic trade fair, Electronica.

Challenge
IE Singapore faced a new challenge of taking a group of 12 Singapore food manufacturers to the USA's largest Food and Beverage event. This market required significant levels of education in order to appreciate Asian cuisine.
None of the Singapore companies had previous experience with the USA market, so it was essential that the companies be supported by a service that would enhance their participation in the trade fair.
Export Solutions was engaged to meet with the Singapore companies and work through their objectives for the Fancy Food Show in New York.

Solution
Although the Singapore companies were expecting adequate trade fair traffic past their booths, they considered it essential to target companies before the event.
They believed their trade fair experience would be more productive if company details could be exchanged prior to the event, making their first meetings more effective.
The investment the Singapore companies were making in travelling to New York to exhibit was significant. IE Singapore knew that Business Matching would add value and enhance the trade opportunities.

Key benefits

• IE Singapore was clearly seen providing a number of critical services for the Singapore companies
• The exhibition had many highlights,
  including: networking events with
  industry players; access to passing visitor
  traffic; focused meetings scheduled by
  Export Solutions to draw interested US
  companies together with Singapore
  exhibitors
• The Business Matching service provided
  an added layer of confidence to the Singapore companies' participation, and helped enhance the effectiveness and eturn
  from the trade fair

Quote from the client
'Singapore looks to the world for new opportunities and Export Solutions have made a significant contribution to get our SME food industry players up to speed, crossing cultural, commercial and geographical divides.'