The New Zealand Trade Centre has had a face lift in more ways than one! My partner Rochelle and I are the new owners. We have revamped the inside of the Trade Centre and introduced a range of new initiatives to take kiwi companies to the world.
The new team brings a background in internet marketing and experience in taking products to the international stage. International trade is in my blood. I grew up with my father being in the diplomatic corps and we have lived in the UK, USA, throughout the Pacific and Japan. I have a great passion in taking New Zealand’s best products to the global stage.
Those of you familiar with the NZ Trade Centre might be asking ‘what’s new?’
A decisive coup for us is having the opportunity to link up with the famous Dixon family to “export” New Zealand companies using the USA IndyCar races as a platform.
Ron Dixon, father and number one supporter of Scott Dixon, two-time Indy Car champion approached us a couple of months ago about running a New Zealand Trade Show at the 12 American races. Ron has been unofficially promoting NZ products for the last 10 years that he has been up in the USA supporting his son. Last year he noticed what an amazing job Apex-Brazil were doing in promoting Brazilian products at the races. Such a good job that in fact the combined income from being associated with the show is around US$500million!
Ron has made some incredible contacts in the time he has been is the US and as part of the trade show he is actively looking for agents, distributors and importers of New Zealand products. Combine that with the million plus people who visit the races over the 12 events and there is a powerful marketing opportunity.
We are also off to Shanghai!
I am in the final stages of negotiation with a kiwi expat in Shanghai about opening a New Zealand Trade Centre there. The business partnership will provide New Zealand companies with a presence and expert support in selling into to China. The new partnership will offer help to New Zealand companies wanting to set up Chinese importing and distribution licenses, setting up trading platforms, market research and consultancy.
At the Trade Centre, we receive hundreds of enquiries each month from overseas companies looking to import a variety of New Zealand products. We are always looking for new and innovative products to recommend to our visitors and have simplified our business model to make it easier to get access to the leads.
This business is about networking and every day we are able to match interesting businesses together, it is very satisfying helping kiwis do well. [END]