Trade Show in Australia: The final outcome statement

The S.A.M.E-Australia Buy Samoa Made Trade Show and Permanent Exhibition Launch in Liverpool, Sydney Australia was an overwhelming success – far exceeding the expectations of S.A.M.E and the organizers of the Export Drive Project.

The Trade Show was well attended by the Samoan/Pacific and Australian business community; Importers and Distributors; the media as well as the Government, Trade and Investment offi cials. This is an overview of the Trade Show issued by S.A.M.E. It is published here in full:

The products displayed were a sell out and attracted interest and inquiries for distribution and retail in the Australian market.

Island Product Retailers; Distributors; Importers from around Australia including Woolworths Australia attended the Trade Show which took place on the 23rd & 24th of March. The major exporters represented such as Samoa’s 2 Breweries; Cocoa & Coconut Base products; Agrobased products frozen taro;

coconut cream; Palusami, chilli and snack products;

and garments have obtain buyers and distributors- with contracts already signed.

The Trade Show was followed by the launching of the SAME-Buy Samoa Made-Australia permanent exhibition centre at the Samoa Consular General Office in Liverpool, Sydney on Wednesday 25th March. The exhibition centre mirrors the SAME one launched at the Samoa House in Auckland city in August 2014.

The exhibition centre in Sydney, Australia hosts over 40 samples and displays of products and services from Samoa – with a revolving promotional DVD displayed in a 40” Flat Screen; and Information/Brochures.

Some of the key outcomes of the Australian initiative highlighted various challenges for S.A.M.E and the Samoa Government to address – the need for consistency and increase in supply of agriculture commodities such as coconuts; cocoa;

taro and other root crops to meet market requirement; the need for Exporters to be capable in conforming with Australian quarantine; packaging and labelling requirements; the need for further scientific and market research for additional export potential products requested from the market (SAME and SROS to lead the way for this);

the establishment of an ongoing marketing campaign in Australia for the Buy Samoan Made Australia campaign; and the need for investment and competitive finance to support import substitute and export industries from Samoa.

The Deputy Prime Minister; President of S.A.M.E and E.C represented also held very productive meetings with the Brisbane Business and Samoa Community which showed support for the Buy Samoa Made campaign and requested a similar promotional campaign.

The Association at its Annual General Meeting last Wednesday 8th April 2015, acknowledged the success of the Australian export campaign and endorsed ongoing efforts to support and consolidate the Buy Samoa Made Export Campaign for both New Zealand and Australia.

1. Trade Show & Permanent Exhibition Centre Theme: “Buy Samoa Made” Goods & Services– Promotion of Samoa’s Latest Export-Sassy Goods & Services –Promotion of the Samoan People-its land and culture.

2. SAME-Buy Samoa Made Campaign Objectives: To increase export of Samoa made goods & services to the Australian market; to establish a permanent presence of samples and information on Samoa Made Goods & Services at the Samoa Consulate General Office in Sydney NSW; facilitate market contacts; and increase investment in Buy Samoa Made production. Specific Objectives include:

2.1 To Increase awareness in Australia of Samoa Goods & Services that are available for export into the Australian market.

2.2 To Increase Exports of Samoa Made Goods & Service Aim is to increase Samoa’s export of goods & services to Australia by at least 25%per annum over the next 3 years.

2.3 Increase investment to enhance Samoa Export Capacity- and to establish network with the Business Community in in Australia, and the Samoan and Pacific Community and the Australian market at large.

2.4 Provide feedback to the Government and Stakeholders in Samoa on areas to build supply capacity to support exports based on the market demand.

3 List of Participants & Samoa Made Goods & Services- to be promoted

1. Apia Bottling Company Ltd (Chilli Sauce)

2. Nonu Delights (Nonu Juice)

3. Tropical Crisp ( Snacks/ Chips)

4. Samoa Paints (Paint Products)

5. Wilex Samoa-Koko Samoa (Koko Samoa/ Origin Chocolates ; Extra- Virgin Coconut Oil)

6. SROS (Cert Scientific Testing-Avocado Oil; Liqueur; Breadfruit Flour)

7. Treasure Box ( Samoan Jewellery)

8. Samoa Beverage Co. (Taula/Sama-Manutagi)

9. Krissy Samoa (Coconut Cream/Palusami)

10. Eveni Carruthers (Garments/Uniforms)

11. Talofa Wines-(Tropical Wines spirits & liqueurs )

12. Pacific Oil (Coconut Oil- Bulk & retail) 13. Soil Health Limited (Organic soil/Virgin Coconut oil)

14. Fexco (money Transfer) 15. CCK Trading (Coffee; Honey; Coffee) 16. Samoa Meat Products (Specialty Meats) 17. Tagiilima Handicrafts Assoc. (Handicrafts) 18. Ministry of Commerce, Industry & Labour (Investment Promotion/ Trade) 19. Samoa Trade Commission Office-New Zealand(Buy Samoa Made- NZ Promotion) 20. Farmer Joe (Frozen taro) 21. Samoa Hotel Association

22. Samoa Consul General Office-Liverpool-NSW 23. Samoa Breweries Ltd (Pure & Natural Vailima) 24. Yazaki Samoa (Wire Harnessing export)

25.Siva Afi Investments (Manu Samoa T Shirts)

26.Coconut Love (Coconut Based products)

27.S.A.M.E (Member Products)

28.WT Media (Promotional/ Media/Publicity) 29.Mailelani (Coconut Based Products-Body Care Products)

30.Agro-Marketing- John Lowe (Frozen Taro Exporter) 31.Mamanu Samoa Assoc (Garments) 32.Yoshida Commercial Ltd (Sandals/Memorial Granite- Headstones) 33.Mena Designs (Garments)

34.Samoa Superior Products (Water Tanks/ Guttering)

35.Heavenly Water (Water Products/Coconut Jam) 36.Samoa Trust Estate Corporation (Agriculture Commodities)

37.Samoa Tourism Authority (STA) 38.Trans Am Samoa- Seafreight Shipping

39.Iniini Samoa- Media/ Newspaper-covering Samoa/NZ/Australia 40.Digicel Pacific- Telecommunication Services

4.Delegation Leadership -Government:

1.Leader of Delegation of the SAME-NZ Buy Samoa Made Exhibition Launch- Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of Samoa- Hon.Fonotoe Nuufesili P.Lauofo

2.Samoa Consular to Australia -Afioga Fonoti Etuale Ioane 3.Chief Executive Officer- Ministry of Trade, Commerce & Industry – Auelua Sam Enari 4.Samoa Media Representative –Nanai Lave Tuiletufuga

4.Samoa Private Sector – Participants-Event /Display Organization 1.Project Leader-SAME President and Project Coordinator: Tagaloa Eddie Wilson

2.SAME Technical Advisor 3.Samoa Trade Commissioner to New Zealand –Afioga Fonoti Fr.Fuatai

4.SAME –Executive Council 5.Key Features/ Outcome of the Trade Mission:

The following is a summary of strategies required to support the Buy Samoa Made- Australia Export Campaign over the next 3 years. This is based on feed-back from the Trade Show and demand for export potential Products & services.

•All agro-processed based products as well as beverage products have potential for retail in mainstream supermarkets; as well fruit & dairy shops.

•A wide selection of Samoan made goods & services- have good potential for online marketing and selling in Australia •Vailima Pure-was popular during tasting at the opening cocktail and has great market potential-with distributors now selected

• Taula and Sama and Taxi Soft Drinks–were popular during tasting at the opening cocktail- with potential for distribution in the Australian market – Distributors have now been selected

•IT products /services; shipping ; telecommunication and money transfer are well supported by the Samoan and Pacific population

•Frozen taro was prioritized during the Trade Show- and importers have now started negotiations with the SAME suppliers- Samoa Agro- Marketing and Farmer Joe. Distribution contracts have also been signed.

•Need to establish & develop distributorship and market outlets for potential products such as agro-processed products; beauty coconut oil based products and food/ snack products for the duty free shops-provided packaging and labelling requirements are complied with.

•Need for product /service branding to suit the Australian market requirements and strengthen market positioning once products are in the market.

•Need to develop and Investment Promotional Guide /Document supporting Samoan Export Companies that require investment to grow their businesses and inject capital and technical know- how to support expansion needs.

• SAME to work together with the Samoa & Australian Governments to address requirements for the export drive project over the next 3 years.

•A follow up / Selective trade mission to take place in Brisbane –Australia and possibly Melbourne before the end of 2015 to consolidate the marketing/promotional aspects of the Buy Samoa Made-Australia campaign.

Participants for this will be companies who have successfully obtained export contracts in the Australian Market.

SAME will work closely with the Pacific Island Trade & Investment Commission (PITIC) and the Samoa Trade Commission office in New Zealand and the Samoa Consular Office in Liverpool –in assisting SAME members in meeting the above requirements – especially in facilitating the flow of market information; packaging/labelling and training and capacity building to meet Australian market requirements.