basic-guide-to-exporting_Latest_eg_main_086196

Success StoryKeep Things in Perspectiveto Taste SuccessBassetts Ice Cream Company“As my exports continue to grow, sohas my confidence in exporting. Truthis, I’m more comfortable shipping toChina than Chicago.”—Michael Strange, PresidentFaith in his product and playing things straight broughtMichael Strange all the way to the Great Wall of China.The CompanyWhen it comes to ice cream, what’s your pleasure?Not sure? Michael Strange of Bassetts Ice CreamCompany can help—America’s oldest ice creamcompany offers 40 flavors, from French Vanilla andIrish Coffee to Moose Tracks and Rum Raisin.“We’ve been here at the same location on ReadingTerminal Market at 12th and Arch Streets since1892. The store was founded in 1861 by my greatgreat-grandfather,”Strange says. “It was a prettylocal business until the 1970s, when my motherdecided to expand by branching out to the JerseyShore, New York City, and as far west as Chicago.”Strange had wondered about exporting, buthadn’t really given it a lot of thought. That allchanged one day when he attended a food expopanel discussion to learn more about local foodmanufacturers and to network with executives.As luck would have it, he met a Chinesebusinessperson whose friend was interested inimporting American products. Strange was thenpersuaded to ship samples of his ice cream toChina. “I admit I was skeptical,” Strange recalls.“After all, China is a long way away—but it costonly $400 worth of products, so I said, why not?”Unbeknownst to him, the distributor had arrangeda blind taste test of Bassetts ice cream, pittingit against a major competitor—the renownedHäagen-Dazs brand. “I’m happy to report that ourproduct performed quite admirably,” Strange says.“I was told the Chinese also liked the fact that wewere family-owned, which goes along well withtheir high affinity for ‘Made in the USA’ products.”A few weeks after the taste test, the Chinesedistributor placed an order for nine pallets of icecream in a variety of flavors—Bassetts’ first export.The ChallengeAlthough elated, Strange had little experience innegotiating long-term deals with internationaldistributors, let alone doing business in China. Healso wanted to become a more active exporter,instead of just waiting for orders to come in. “Ifanyone had told me that China would be my firstexport market, I would have said ‘fat chance,’” hesays. “I was looking forward to doing business in144U.S. Commercial Service • A Basic Guide to Exporting