In July of 2022, Food Export-Midwest hosted its annual Midwest Buyers Mission where they hosted seventeen international buyers and traveled them to three different Midwest States to meet with U.S. Suppliers. Last year the one-on-one meetings took place in Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois.
Zolli Candy from Commerce Township, Michigan one of the U.S. suppliers that attended the mission in Michigan. They meet with 15 buyers representing Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, and Vietnam. The full schedule of meetings allowed Tom Morse, Manager of Zolli Candy to introduce their line of confectionery products to buyers and share with them the benefits of the healthy, Zolli Candy line of Pops, Taffy, Caramelz, Drops, and Gummeez.
In January 2023, Zolli Candy was able to report that they acquired new export sales due to these buyer meetings. They gained $5,000 in sales to Spain which is a new export market for the Michigan company! The company also projects to complete $15,000 more in sales over the next twelve months.
Zolli Candy has participated in Food Export programs since 2018 attending Buyers Missions and webinars while also participating in Food Export’s international buyers’ publication, the U.S. FoodLink as a Featured Product Supplier, the Online Product Catalog, and the Food Export Helpline.
Zolli Candy is “America’s fastest growing candy company” according to The Financial Times/Statista & Inc.5000 the last four years. Zolli Candy is a delicious, zero sugar, vegan, KETO, allergy-free, gluten-free natural candy that everyone can enjoy! Zolli Candy offers Zollipops, Zolli Ball Popz, Zolli Drops, Zaffi Taffy, Zolli Caramelz & Zolli PB Cups. Supported by marketing, media, and influencers to drive trial & ongoing sales. Zolli Candy and its 17yr old Founder Alina are verified influencers.
Food Export uses funding from the Market Access Program (MAP) to help America’s small businesses increase their exports of food and agricultural products. As these exports increase, these small businesses are creating jobs and improving the strength and stability of our agricultural economy. Food Export-Midwest and Food Export-Northeast are non-profit organizations that work in collaboration with their member state departments of agriculture and the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. They offer a wide range of programs and services that help boost America’s agricultural exports.