German food gaining foothold in USA, Japan

PARIS -- Nearly 45 billion dollars of "Made in Germany" food and beverages were shipped abroad in the first three quarters of 2011, setting a new record. Exports grew 11% and revenue was up 9% nominally in the same period. This boom is leading international players to ramp up investments in Germany. Food giant Nestlé last week announced a multi-million dollar investment in a new pizza factory in Germany, which will increase its production capacity from 70 million to 350 million units per year. 

"A stable domestic market and thriving exports combine with Germany's high productivity and strong R&D network to make this an ideal home for companies looking to grow," said Daniel Lindel, food and beverage industry expert at Berlin-based Germany Trade & Invest in Berlin, at this year’s Food Ingredients Europe in Paris, to share business opportunities in Germany.

Germany Trade & Invest is the foreign trade and inward investment promotion agency of the Federal Republic of Germany. The organization advises foreign companies looking to expand their business activities in the German market. It provides information on foreign trade to German companies that seek to enter foreign markets.

At this year’s FiE, Germany Trade & Invest presented the latest opportunities together with the economic development agencies of the federal states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia, as well as a success story from Cargill.

Although as much as 80% of German food products are exported to other European Union countries, German goods have also been gaining market share and popularity in countries like the USA and Japan. German companies like Aldi are succeeding in these markets due to high quality products at an affordable price. Aldi’s founder also owns Trader Joe's, a hit in the high-end market including fair trade and organic foods.