How To Export Halal Ice Cream As A Small Business?

For most of us, halal ice cream may be one of life`s simple pleasures. Everyone has his or her favorite brand. Some of the ice creams we consume regularly are local ones while others are imported from a foreign country. However, for the last three decades or so, like any other food business, companies big and small, have started exporting ice cream to other markets.

Now, we can see Häagen-Dazs or Baskin-Robbins ice cream in many different countries. Even some smaller ice cream brands have also successfully made inroads into far-off lands.

For artisanal exporters like Smoocht R’ice Cream which makes handcrafted plant-based, halal ice cream with organic brown rice milk, there are quite a few challenges to overcome before they can export their halal ice cream to other markets.

“The logistical challenge is the most important one among others. Finding a potential distributor with aligned business values in the target market is another issue a small business has to face, ” says Ms. Ling Joo Foo, global president of Smoocht, an artisanal halal ice cream brand in Singapore and Malaysia.

In this article, we plan to list all the steps involved in exporting halal ice cream to other countries.

How To Export Halal Ice Cream As A Small Business?

Following is a list of the steps they have to take to start exporting their halal ice cream to other countries.

• Get a detailed understanding of the import and tariff structure of your target market(s)
• Find the countries and markets where the import duties for dairy products like ice cream either do not exist or are very low. Your local export authority could help you find this information
• Find potential business partners by visiting trade shows, and attending networking events arranged by your export promotion bureau
• Discuss the local trends, tastes and competitive landscape with your potential business partner(s) in the target market
• Talk to a reliable shipping company based in your local market which could help you ship your halal ice cream to your target market without compromising on its quality, texture, etc. The shipping carrier should be able to maintain the “Ideal shipping and long-term storage temperature for ice cream.
• Buy credit insurance for your upcoming shipments. Generally, it costs less than 1% of the invoice but it may cover 90% of receivables in case the ice cream shipment gets damaged.
• Send a test shipment of halal ice cream to your distributor in the target country so that they could test the market
• keep on introducing new flavors to keep the customers engaged with you

For small ice creams manufacturers like Smoocht as mentioned earlier, the best strategy may be to start exporting their halal ice cream to smaller countries like Ethiopia which are growing fast and have a strong desire to test foreign tastes.