Market possibilities in Middle East and North Africa as themes in 2018

North Africa and the Middle East provide companies with a broad market, but so far, few Finnish companies have made use of the market opportunities offered by these areas. There exist several financing opportunities for export to these areas. With its theme year, Viexpo wants to encourage small and medium-sized companies to get familiar with these market areas and start exporting to emerging markets!

With Nordic quality

to the developing markets

During 2018 we will discuss especially the markets in Middle East and North Africa and the business possibilities that they offer for Finnish companies. We will report which branches are invested in, where the demand lies and what to take into account when you want to do business in the markets in Middle East and North Africa. We co-operate with for instance the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the embassies and with Business Finland.

During this year we will arrange e.g. ambassador visits together with the Ministry of Foreign affairs. During these visits we arrange events for the companies where the ambassadors present current matters from their countries of placement and companies who already are in the markets will present their experiences. We will develop this concept so that the companies will get the information that they need, and we will help the companies to take the next step towards new markets.

In addition, we will inform companies about upcoming Business Finland trips to these areas. During these trips you will get to know the new markets on site together with the experts. The visiting calendar will soon be published on Viexpo’s website. We will also arrange trade fair trips to current fairs together with our contract partners.

Actions and goals:

The theme year functions as an umbrella which gathers all kinds of happenings, motions and campaigns especially in the Ostrobothnia. Viexpo’s whole service package is for the companies’ disposal. With the help of a market analysis we can gather information about clients, competition, products, distribution, authorities and other means of influence, in order to help the company in drawing up a better market strategy.

The themes North Afrika and Middle East are closely connected to the national NordicHub, a hub of Nordic business excellence. Nordic know-how and quality are our advantages on the developing markets and we will concentrate on these. The goal is to take advantage of co-operation and build activities for further comprehensive export solutions for SMEs from Scandinavia to the world.

The aim for the theme year is to spread information, to help and guide companies and to encourage the companies to enter these developing markets. We will make individual plans for each company about their possibilities for business and finances and about suitable Business Finland -trips. If you find these markets interesting, please contact us!

This year, the food industry has been chosen as the theme field. In the beginning of this year, we organized a Food Export Forum in co-operation with Evira, and during this year we are launching the operation of a Food Exports Acceleration and aim to visit at least 50 companies from the food industry!

Opportunities for

food export

There are many primary production companies and several small and medium-sized companies operating in the food industry in the Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia and Southern Ostrobothnia. In the Ostrobothnia provinces, there are also strong multinational export companies operating in the food industry.

With its theme year, Viexpo wants to encourage companies of all size to better utilize the opportunities provided by food export. In addition, Viexpo wants to be involved in the development of co-operation between the food and other industries, incl. utilization of digitization and circular economy.

The aim of the theme year is to diversify and strengthen the food exports of the Ostrobothnian provinces.  In order to achieve this goal, Viexpo organized a Food Export Forum in co-operation with Evira in the beginning of 2018 and is involved in the launch of a Food Export Accelerator together with Profict Partners, SEAMK and the University of Vaasa, and will visit at least 50 food companies in the three Ostrobothnia provinces during 2018.

During the theme year, both domestic and food export-related legislation and regulations will also be addressed, and marketing and communication of the food export companies will be together developed further.