Pacific Trade & Invest (PT&I) is helping exporters get more information about entering the New Zealand market by running the PT&I Path to Market workshop in Tonga at MCCTIL Conference Room in Nukualofa on October 28.
Path to Market is an export capability programme by PT&I which combines a range of export facilitation services and expertise to help export ready and export capable businesses enter the New Zealand market. The programme is an extended business model that covers a series of methodical steps that are delivered in partnership by PT&I and an Economic Development Agency in each country.
The Path to Market Workshop in Tonga will be delivered by PT&I in partnership with the Ministry of Commerce, Consumer, Trade, Innovation and Labour (MCCTIL).
The one-day export capability workshop builds on the success of the Path to Market Workshops held in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Marshall Islands and in Samoa last week. More than 200 participants from all these countries have benefited from the workshops since they were initiated in 2015.
“This workshop targets new and existing exporters, providing them with further insights and overviews of getting products to market,” says Joe Fuavao, PT&I Trade Development Manager.
“The content of the workshop is focused on understanding the New Zealand market, identifying the market channels for the product and their requirements. Building on the learnings of this workshop, a small group will be invited to participate in the Tonga Trade Mission to New Zealand in the first quarter of 2017. It is important that these companies have the capacity and consistency to export,” Mr Fuavao added.
New Zealand based consultant David Powell is assisting in the delivery of the workshop. Mr Powell has more than 20 years’ direct experience in international business and export industry strategy. He specialises in exporting, business growth, innovation, future thinking and economic development.
Mr Powell’s company provides services to a wide range of clients and trains groups of exporters in international marketing and is a sought after speaker and meeting facilitator. He has a passion for international social entrepreneurship and how it can impact social and economic development around the world. A number of Pacific exporters are comprised of farmer and family based groups, as well as cooperatives and therefore his expertise in this area will help build the capabilities of these groups.
The Path to Market Programme begins with workshops, which are essentially a practical assessment of export capability vis-à-vis requirements of the New Zealand market.
In a six step process, the workshops are followed up with building a strong strategic link to the local economic development partner; organising a sales mission to New Zealand; applying learnings from the sales mission; introducing exporters to prospective buyers and distributors in New Zealand; and feedback analyses, quantification of deals and follow up to B2B meetings.