How Export Keeps Our Business Resilient

Rachel’s has been part of the food and drink landscape in Wales for more than four decades, and our roots in organic farming go back even further. From those early beginnings at Brynllys farm, we have grown into one of the UK’s best-known organic dairy brands, supplying customers nationwide.

Our growth has also meant looking beyond the UK. Exporting has become a vital part of our business, safeguarding jobs at our dairy in Aberystwyth and providing long-term security in what can be a volatile domestic market.

We first entered international markets 18 years ago, with the Middle East as our starting point. That journey began with a conversation at a trade show in London, where an introduction to a major retailer in the UAE opened the door. From there, we combined our own research with the support available to us and gradually built up relationships with key retail buyers and distributors. Since then, we have established Rachel’s as the number one imported premium organic yoghurt in the region, a position we have held ever since.

That success has not come overnight. Export requires hard work, patience and repeated market visits. In the Middle East particularly, personal relationships are highly valued, and it takes time to build trust. Some of the buyers I met in those early years have since handed their businesses on to their children, and today I am working with the next generation. That depth of relationship has been crucial in ensuring our continued growth.

International trade shows have also played an important role. Gulfood in Dubai, the world’s largest food and drink show, has been central to our export calendar for the past 15 years. It is not just a gateway to the Middle East; it attracts buyers from Singapore, Hong Kong, China and beyond. These events allow us to meet existing customers, find new opportunities and exchange insight with other producers. They are challenging environments, but the value they bring is considerable.

There are inevitably hurdles along the way. Regulatory changes, new labelling rules or unexpected costs can appear without warning. I have experienced shipments being held at port, both in the early years and more recently, because of rules that changed overnight. It can be frustrating, but it is part of the reality of exporting. The important thing is to be prepared, to factor potential challenges into your planning and to keep going.

My advice to other producers considering export is not to be put off by these obstacles. They are not insurmountable, and support is available to help navigate them. Over the years we have drawn on a range of resources, from market research to in-depth guidance on labelling and certification, and it has made a real difference in helping us manage risk and stay focused on growth.

Equally important is having a clear strategy. I have seen businesses attempt to chase every possible market, attending trade shows around the world without focus. That approach rarely works. Our experience at Rachel’s has shown that concentrating on one market at a time delivers better results. By putting energy and resource into the Middle East first, we built a model for how to grow internationally. Only once we had established ourselves there did we apply the same approach elsewhere.

Export is not a quick win. It requires investment of time, energy and resource, and it demands patience. Meetings do not always turn into orders straight away, and sometimes polite interest masks a lack of real intent. But with persistence, the results do come.

For Welsh producers considering their next step, my message would be clear: have a strategy, focus your efforts, use the support that is readily available from Food and Drink Wales, and be prepared for the long haul. Done in the right way, export offers not just growth but stability – and that has been vital for us.

Anita Richards talks about this and more in the Food and Drink podcast episode Taking Welsh Food and Drink Global. Listen to the podcast here.

Find out more about the support on offer to Welsh food and drink producers here.