It’s easy to overlook how important small steps are to building momentum – whether it’s practicing a healthy habit or learning something new, like a language or skill. The important ingredients are a litany of words starting with the letter “C” including curiosity, clarity, commitment, and consistency. These characteristics are not only effective for developing personal habits but for building export markets.

Yet, building export momentum can also be another “C” word — challenging — amid all it takes to operate a business in a global world. As you look ahead to 2025, here’s how you can tap into Food Export resources to build your company’s export momentum and work with the challenges effectively, no matter whether you’re a first-time exporter or an export expert.

Curiosity

It’s easy for new-to-export fish and shellfish exporters to be overwhelmed about where to start and on which markets to focus their efforts. Long-time exporters may want to diversify to new markets but are unsure of market potential or import requirements.

Seafood exporters can satisfy their curiosity for export insight through a range of resources available from Food Export. Through its extensive library of recorded webinars and its Export Essentials Online modules, exporters can gain a firm foundation in topics ranging from market research to international shipping and logistics.

Clarity

Once you have done some initial research to identify a potential export market, it’s always helpful to get some bona fide confirmation before taking the next steps. Investing in a visit to the market can be incredibly valuable but is also expensive and time-consuming. Luckily, Food Export’s network of In-Market Representatives can share a real-world perspective in a way that would be difficult to get without traveling to the market yourself.

Seafood suppliers can tap into Food Export’s network of 20 market experts in a couple of convenient ways. First, Food Export offers you the opportunity to book a 30-minute Virtual Consultation with its In-Market Representatives to pose specific questions on issues like required shipping documentation or label requirements. The minimal investment in a call with an expert could be just what’s needed to avoid costly mistakes and to move forward with confidence. Another way to tap into Food Export’s in-market experts is through a Market Scan, a comprehensive and individualized market research report. After registering for the service, a supplier will join a kick-off call with the In-Market Representative to share their market objectives, provide background on their product and company, and define the types of distributor partnerships that they are looking to establish. Seafood suppliers can gain helpful insights into how product moves through a market, what competition is present, and what product forms are likely to be most in demand.

Commitment

When you have identified and confirmed opportunities in a particular market, next it makes sense to strategize available opportunities and resources to aid you in meeting your market objectives.

The steps a seafood exporter may take to establishing or growing exports to a particular market may look very different. For a new-to-export company, you might take advantage of all the opportunities to meet buyers from that market at Food Export’s U.S.-based Buyers Missions. In addition to Food Export’s long-running and highly-acclaimed Seafood Buyers Mission, there are other opportunities to meet buyers interested in Northeast fish and shellfish at missions such as the Foodservice Buyers Mission at the National Restaurant Association.

For other suppliers, visiting the market to meet with potential buyers might be a great next step. Once again, you can harness the market expertise of Food Export’s In-Market Representatives by participating in either a scheduled Focused Trade Mission or by signing up for the Rep Finder service, which is like a focused trade mission for one. Either way, you get a brief market immersion along with pre-scheduled one-on-one meetings with buyers matched to your needs. It’s a great way to gain market insights and key contacts in just a few days away from the office.

Investing in developing an export market can be costly and here is another area where Food Export can assist you in making your marketing funds go further with the Branded Program. Seafood exporters often use the Branded Program’s 50% cost-share funding to support exhibiting at trade shows but may not realize the program can be utilized to do a whole lot more — from packaging and label changes required by foreign markets to developing digital and print marketing materials.

Consistency

Building export markets takes time. New international buyer relationships rarely come to fruition as quickly as domestic ones. And, once formed, like all relationships, they need care and attention to flourish. The Branded Program can be a valuable asset in investing in your importer’s success with funding available to support their marketing expenses such as retail or foodservice promotions or conducting product education seminars.

What are the next steps you’d like to take to build your export momentum in 2025? A good starting place for exploration and inspiration is Food Export’s 2025 Calendar of Events and Branded Program Resources Page. As you plot out your path, be sure to check in with your Food Export Liaison to make sure that you’re utilizing all the resources that Food Export has to offer.