Here’s a checklist of inspiration for aspiring exporters. Our collection of 50 favourite export case studies shows that there is no magic ingredient to making it to the world stage, but it certainly helps to get the basics right.
Howard Morris on Pacific Seeds
Exporting since: 1987
Key markets: Middle East, Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe.
Drought is frequently associated with Australia’s harsh environment and it was drought that first brought Californian company Pacific Oilseeds to our shores in 1962. Since then, however, the company has grown beyond our borders to specialise in providing product to the arid field crop markets in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world.
“Our major competitors tend to be based in the softer temperate regions of Europe and North America. This regional strength sets us somewhat apart from much of the competition,” says Howard Morris, international sales director. “Our best markets are those where the food is crook and the water is undrinkable.”
The company has an export team devoted to servicing international opportunities, which account for 40 percent of sales. Morris says export revenue allows then to fund a stronger research program than domestic turnover alone would.