Invest BN began working with Trophy Foods in January 2014 on their US expansion. Their new facility, named Redland Foods Corp., is now located in Cheektowaga, NY
Every year, I make the quick trip across the border to Toronto, ON to attend the annual Restaurants Canada show. Over 1,200 exhibitors participate in this three day event, representing a variety of facets from the restaurant industry including; food processors and distributors, equipment manufacturers and service companies.
Aside from sampling fabulous food at Restaurants Canada, this show provides me the opportunity to meet growing Canadian based companies in the food industry. Many of these companies have a strong US sales base and are considering US expansion to better serve customers. Often times, these Canadian companies have established a medium to high percentage of sales in the US market while importing a medium to high percentage of raw materials from the US. Those percentages create a tipping point, leading to the need of a US location.
Besides the sale to import ratio, there are a number of reasons driving Canadians in the restaurant industry in opening a US location. Some key factors:
- Increased product to market times
- Limited product shelf life
- Border delays
- Currency fluctuation
- Customer and contract requirements
- Parent company risk reduction
Invest Buffalo Niagara has worked with a number of companies in the restaurant industry, many of which I have encountered at Restaurants Canada. Trophy Foods (Redland Foods), Pride Pak, Nutrablend, and Magic White are all food processing, packaging, service companies I worked closely with, resulting in successful Buffalo Niagara expansion projects.
Upon my return of 2016 Restaurants Canada, I am excited to begin working with many of the people I met and look forward to adding them to the long list of Canadian-based companies with a Buffalo Niagara location. To learn more about establishing a business in Buffalo Niagara sign up to receive Access US, an e-newsletter that covers the hottest topics in Canadian business expansion.
