Post-Brexit, there’s never been a better time for British businesses to explore new markets and export their products. Brand Britain is currently worth almost £1.5 trillion, with the UK shipping goods in excess of £300bn across the globe annually.
The Government wants to increase its food & drink export figure by 2.9bn by 2020, with 75% of this to countries outside the EU. In the UK Food and Drink International Plan 2016-2020, the Government states its plan to work with the industry to deliver a boost to the export market, with British brands supported though trade and ‘cultural activity’ to promote UK food and drink, open new markets and developing existing ones.
In this paper, the Can Makers takes a closer look at the trends driving the UK export industry, expressly relating to canned drinks, heading further into 2017 as well as the opportunities offered by export. The white paper also features ‘top tips’ to help businesses start thinking in the right way about export.
Trends driving the UK export industry:
- Over the past two years, sales from craft breweries have been booming as increasing international demand for craft products has coincided with a growing thirst for British beer. More than 220million pints of ale, including Yorkshire’s Ilkley Brewery and Aberdeenshire’s Brew Dog, were shipped to the States in 2015 – worth a record £164 million. (That’s up 35 percent on the year before)
- In the craft segment, British brands are also expected to see domestic competition ease as foreign competitors, affected by the weakness of the pound and the long-term threat of trade barriers, reduce exports into the UK. And, whilst a number of associations already exist to support brands with exporting, we have seen craft associations launch their own schemes, e.g. The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) launching its Export Club to help members send their drinks across the world
- With more than 500 new breweries launched in the UK in 2016 alone, the UK market could reach saturation point, unless breweries look to other export markets
- The number of craft brands in a canned format has gone from a few, to a few hundred. The can is the ideal pack for any drink brand that exports its product – being lightweight, easily stacked and taking up less space than bottles. Cans have an unparalleled safety record too, being sturdy and unlikely to break, plus their tamper-resistant and temper-evident packaging provides consumers with peace of mind that their products have been safely prepared and delivered.
To read the full white paper Exporting canned drinks in 2017
About the Can Makers:
Members of the Can Makers work together specifically to promote the benefits of the drinks can and aid communications between the industry and its customers: the brewers and soft drinks manufacturers and the retailers, as well as the packaging industry, the media and consumers. The Can Makers was the first organisation in Europe formed to promote drinks cans. It is now part of a European network set up under the auspices of Beverage Can Makers Europe (BCME), which includes similar organisations across Europe.
For more information, please contact onechocolate communications
E: canmakers@onechocolatecomms.co.uk
Selina Khoo
T: +44 (0)20 7437 0227
E: selinak@onechocolatecomms.co.uk
A: 10 Frith Street, Soho, London, W1D 3JF