Reports + factsheets

For more than 165 years, the name Vanini has been synonymous with entrepreneurial spirit, professional commitment and a unique passion for gourmet foods. As a Swiss quality specialist in processed fruits, Sandro Vanini AG – part of the Haecky group since 1984 – produces chestnut specialties, mustard sauces and mostarda, and baking ingredients. In its urgent search for a new fig supplier, the company based in Rivera, Ticino, was able to count on swift assistance from S-GE.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare/Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued notification F. No. 1829/Health Certificate/FSSAI/Imports (2021). The new regulation requires that all milk and milk products, pork and pork products, as well as fish and fish products to be imported into India have to be accompanied by a health certificate. 

Food production is an important part of the Turkish economy. Almost 20% of its GDP is provided by the food and beverage industry and it is preparing for further expansion. The following is an overview of the Turkish market and the business opportunities it presents for Swiss SMEs.

The pandemic has resulted in major changes in consumer behavior and habits in Russia. To understand what trends are emerging in the Russian food market and how documentation and logistics work, we talked to the Managing Director of FOODLAND, a large Russian premium food producer and distributor of Swiss dairy and meat products.

The pandemic has had a serious impact on consumer behaviour and habits. To understand what is happening in the Russian food market, how e-commerce is developing, how shopper preferences have changed and what products are unavailable in the Russian market, we talked to the Vice President of AZBUKA VKUSA, Russia’s leading premium retail grocery chain.

Private label is on the rise in Italy. After a long period of negative perception, consumers are getting more and more acquainted with private label products especially for mass-distributed food. The Swiss Business Hub Italy has begun to study the overall private label sector with the aim to find opportunities for Swiss food exporters.

Canada is a natural launchpad into North America for Swiss food manufacturers since most Canadians live within about 160km of the US border. Canada and the United States are not as different as they may seem, at least in the food realm. Product availability is similar on both sides of the border, and when it comes to international cuisine, both countries boast a wide variety of food from all over thanks to robust immigrant populations. In addition, Canadians have high disposable incomes and value high-quality Swiss products.

Australia’s department of agriculture, water and the environment has announced import restrictions for various food items, starting on September 3rd, 2020. Measures are being taken to curb the spread of the khapra beetle (trogoderma granarium). Exporters wanting to ship products like wheat, rice, pulses and other plant products to Australia, please familiarize yourselves with the announcement shown below.

Swiss cheese connoisseurs in Japan should not feel any impact to their taste when the revised Food Sanitation Act comes into effect today.

Danes are increasingly consuming organic food and accordingly import more organic food than they export, especially from European countries. It is a trend on the upturn, and one that offers attractive business opportunities for Swiss food exporters.

Swiss Bühler AG has been active in Pakistan for 35 years. The large Pakistani agricultural sector and the growing population provide the technology group and food processing specialist with ideal conditions. An interview with Mahboob Rahman, Country Manager of Bühler Pakistan. 

The free trade agreement between the EFTA and GCC states provided for the duty-free import of certain goods from July 1, 2019. After delays, Saudi Arabia has now also confirmed to Switzerland that the agreed tariff reduction will be implemented (retroactively from July 1, 2020). The implementation of the tariff reduction concerns the products of category B in the free trade agreement between GCC and EFTA states.

The Saudi Food and Drugs Authority (SFDA) has launched a strategic plan for healthy food in the Kingdom. It stipulates the setting of upper limits for sugar, salt and saturates in processed foods.

Saudi Arabia has introduced new special taxes on beverages containing sugar and e-cigarettes. Similar excise duties on beverages and tobacco have existed since 2017.

Canada is a natural launchpad into North America for Swiss food manufacturers since most Canadians live within about 160km of the US border. Canadians have similar tastes to Americans when it comes to food according to Mr. Heumann, chief analytics officer with market research firm Environics Analytics. In addition, Canadians have high disposable incomes and value high-quality Swiss products.

As one of the largest food producers and exporters in the world, Brazil offers interesting opportunities for suppliers in the food processing industry. Find out which technologies are in demand for this growing industry.

Over the past four years, Indonesia has been experiencing a significant increase in the demand for dairy products. Domestic milk consumption per capita stood at 11.8 liter in 2017, since 2015 demand has been growing steadily with 5% annually and is expected to continue the trend.

Particularly with food products – where the market is staggeringly abundant with choices – private label with big brands provides Swiss companies with a good opportunity for sales volume, ease of market entry, and building relationships with retailers in Canada.

As of 2017, Indonesia’s annual chocolate consumption per capita amounted 0.4 kg. In spite of being rather low, demand has been on the rise by 10 percent annually. Key drivers are the growing middle-class and a changing consumer behavior. Price sensitivity is decreasing while quality and taste have been gaining in importance. Get an overview over the Indonesian chocolate market and learn how Swiss companies can benefit from this opportunity.

Around 87% of Indonesia’s population is Muslim, therefore it is important that food producers cater local consumers with halal food. The Law No. 33 Year 2014 focuses on halal products guarantee and it specifies that food and beverage as well as the production and packaging process have to be in line with Islamic rules on cleanliness or halal. The halal requirement should come into effect in October 2019 with the food and beverage sector having first priority on the implementation schedule.

Five new procedures for application will be opened in 2019 under Operational Programme "Innovation and Competitiveness". In the period 2019-2020 Swiss companies can participate in tender procedures for delivering machinery, equipment and specialized software to Bulgarian enterprises for for about 400 million euros.

The food and beverage processing industry is the second largest manufacturing industry in Canada. As for the Toronto region, it is the second largest food-processing hub in North America after the Los Angeles area. As such, there are excellent opportunities for Swiss food companies and manufacturers of machinery for the food processing industry. SIAL, which is the largest food industry trade fair in North America, takes place in Toronto at the end of April 2019 and is the perfect opportunity to meet customers.

With an annual turnover of 34 billion dollars, the Chilean food industry is one of the country's most important production sites. The Chilean food industry offers business opportunities for Swiss companies, that want to grow internationally. 

Since 2017, Qatar has faced a difficult situation due to the measures applied by its neighbours. The situation requires the state to take the essential actions to ensure the reserves of basic food. Many foreign companies in the food sector and the food industries seized the opportunity to export their products not only in the food sector but also in food machinery in order to enforce its presence within a market where the food consumption rate is considered the highest among GCC countries.

Since 1 July 2014, Switzerland has been the only continental European country to have signed a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA) with China. In the FTA’s fifth year, the University of St.Gallen, the Chinese University of International Business and Economics, and the Nanjing University have joined forces to analyse its economic impact for the first time.

Holle is one of the leading manufacturers of organic baby food. Founded in 1933, the company exports its products to over 50 countries worldwide. Natalie Nonaka, Business Development Asia, on market structures in Asia, the value of a good partner, and why Vietnam and Indonesia are their next growth markets. 

A small company holds its own against international competition in the beer industry. The example of M&L Consulting shows that this is possible. Even so, export deals also present some challenges in this case.

Mifroma SA, based in Ursy in the canton of Fribourg, is an internationally operating company that specializes in the cheese trade. Germany is an important target market: not just for sales, but also for its entire export strategy.

Product support and services are becoming increasingly important in China; customers demand around-the-clock service with spare parts logistics, support or training. The technology company Bühler AG from Uzwil offers this after-sales service. Harald Blöchlinger, Head of Corporate Service and Sales, talks about his experiences in China and what Swiss companies must take note of in after-sales service in China in an interview.

In the heart of the Grisons mountains, at over 1,400 meters above sea level, Reto Schmid produces what is probably the smallest Bündner Nusstorte (Grisons hazelnut pie) in the world – and with success! Since launching in 2014, La Conditoria has already exported to various countries, including Germany, the USA, South Korea, Russia and Japan. In the following interview, owner Reto Schmid tells us how the small company deals with protectionism and what the export business’s recipe for success is.

Headquartered in Gümligen (BE), the HACO Group has been producing food for over 95 years. What started with soups and bouillon has now turned into tailored products for global customers. In order to market its individual food products globally and attract new customers, HACO regularly participates in trade fairs with Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE).

Following the current trend of Industry 4.0, Brazilian agribusiness sector – 30% of the country’s GDP – is becoming digital and is opening diverse opportunities for Swiss companies with innovative tools and solutions.

More than 10 procedures for application will open in 2018 under the "Operational Programme Innovation and Competitiveness 2014-2020". Swiss companies can participate in tender procedures for delivering machinery, equipment and specialized software to Bulgarian enterprises for more than 300 million euros.

Fruits in the form of powder, without additives or added sugar: that’s frooggies. What started out as an idea in the Brazilian jungle is now the successful business model of a start-up from Triesen in the Principality of Liechtenstein. 

According to the Korean Ministry of Food, Drugs and Security (MFDS), special registration requirements apply for all industrial parts and machines that come into direct contact with food. Swiss companies must take note of these when exporting to Korea.  

Dumet AG has been processing olives for over 40 years. What began on a farm is now an international business, and the Swiss company, which is based in Steinhausen (ZG), now exports to six different countries.

One of India’s biggest economic reforms, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) is set to be rolled out on July, 1st 2017. GST will significantly benefit Indian businesses and foreign investors alike. An overview of the what the GST changes for Swiss companies by our Swiss Business Hub India:

16 Swiss food and beverage producers have made it: they are allowed to sell their products on the shelves of the supermarket chain Fairway Market for half a year. In addition to chocolate and cheese, Swiss jam, muesli and caviar are currently making their way to New York.

Today, Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE) is opening a new Swiss Business Hub (SBH) in Jakarta. The most important responsibility of this new hub is helping small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) from Switzerland and Liechtenstein to gain entry into the future market of Indonesia.

Recently, the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have agreed on the introduction of Value Added Tax (VAT). The UAE intend to officially implement VAT as from 01.01.2018.

Swiss companies participating in a trade fair in France have to provide new documents to the French authorities regarding the lawful employment of their employees. Germany and Italy have also updated their rules. What to consider.

The strong Swiss franc and increasing competition pose challenges for Swiss small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Many businesses have realized that an innovative business model is an important factor for successful internationalization: 70 percent of SMEs are currently dealing with this issue. This is represented in a recent survey by Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE) of over 150 exporting SMEs, which was presented today at the Foreign Trade Forum.

If the successor for the company does not come from your own family, it can be difficult to search for a suitable buyer single-handedly. As the leading Swiss bank for M&A, Credit Suisse mediates and assists buyers and sellers.

Keeping pace with new technologies, consumer trends or the digital transformation represents a huge challenge for many SMEs. The right way to approach this and indeed to become a pioneer is revealed by Ricolab, the new subsidiary of Ricola. The core task: Radical innovation!

Switzerland is the land of fine fruit brandies, but not only. Swiss quality-concious companies also produce vodka, whiskey and gin and now want to tackle new markets abroad. A delegation trip to London was a promising start for business activities in the UK.