Partner Article

Mead maker urges exports

A North East company which spent 40 years trying to break in to the American market is encouraging other regional businesses to look at their own export potential.

Lindisfarne Mead, run by Brenda and Lindsay Hackett, began exporting their famous drink to the United States in 2006, after the company spent more than four decades researching the possibility of tapping into the US drinks market.

The company had to battle through layers of red tape to finally begin distribution in the US market, but Brenda says that since they’d been trying since 1962, they weren’t going to give up.

“Dealing with America is almost like dealing with 50 different countries, so it was very much a learning curve.

“After September 2001, the US government organisation we were dealing with was reformed, and we were almost back to square one. We could have given up, but after forty years we thought we’d give it one more go.”

Their own success has led Brenda to become a vocal advocate for the potential of North East companies who want to export their products.

She said: “If you’re thinking about exporting, it’s really worthwhile to look at everything that’s available. You might decide afterwards that it’s not the right time for you, but the opportunities are all there - it’s definitely worth doing some homework and research. The government is tying to get exports up, so the help is there if you go looking for it.”

When researching the possibility of exporting to the US, Brenda and Lindsay contacted UK Trade and Investment and the North East Chamber of Commerce for advice.

“Both of their export departments are absolutely fantastic,” said Brenda. “For any company interested in exporting anywhere, there will be someone there who will be able to help you and talk you through it, somebody who’s been there and done it before.”

Lindisfarne Mead’s next target is Scandinavia. Taking the lessons they have learned in America, Brenda is confident that there’s a market for British mead in the Viking countries.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .