DESIGNING AN INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION AND MARKETING PLAN

Angie Julieth Ocampo Pulido 1711021983

Alvaro Alejandro Gómez Méndez 1811027796

Julián Alexander Arias Cruz 1221070360

Michael Steven Ariza Villamizar 1821025868

POLITECNICO GRANCOLOMBIANO

FACULTAD DE NEGOCIOS, GESTIÓN Y SOSTENIBILIDAD

FIRST DELIVERY

TUTORA: SANDRA MILENA CHICAS

OCTUBRE 2021
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INTRODUCTION

Food and nutrition had a crucial role in promoting health and preventing chronic diseases.

The latest edition of the Dietary Guidelines reflects the current form of nutritional science,

helps health professionals and policy makers guide Americans to make healthy food and

drink choices, and serves as a scientific basis for policy and vital nutrition programs.

Analyzing these guidelines of the buyer country and the nutritional orientation worldwide and

knowing the alarming figures of overweight worldwide, a snack option arises for this, it has

been identified in our market through the analysis of our product, the type of advertising and

the distribution channels with our product.

Establish distribution, branding and advertising strategies adapted to the requirements of the

destination country, as well as its culture that allows achieving a high acceptance of the

product.
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TYPE OF PRODUCT

Dried fruit as a snack has been a very preferred option since it produces a feeling of satiation

in the body due to its high fiber content, which reduces anxiety about consuming other foods

and at the same time, nourishes and benefits health, Fruits, even if they’re dehydrated, don’t

lose their benefits and benefits, in addition to being of natural origin, they have high sources

of energy for the development of our metabolic processes and for the body in general.

Because it’s made in an ecological and artisanal way, which gives us a better quality in the

product.

Taking advantage of a consumer good that has limited usability and a short life, with a taste

much sweeter than passion fruit and international acceptance; Gulupa was chosen, being one

of the main exotic fruits produced and exported by Colombia, in an innovative presentation,

with a healthy approach, transformed into a dehydrated fruit, which is a perfect substitute for

a tasty and healthy snack, which also accompanies other foods well; the ease of transport and

consumption makes it a great business opportunity. (Procolombia).

DESTINATION COUNTRY

With a previous investigation of the indices according to "the 15th edition of the report The

State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier Country, published by Trust for Americas

Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, obesity in the United States it is an

epidemic with serious consequences. Among them, the increase in the probability of suffering

from heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension. The report is based on data from the National

Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and the Behavioral Risk Factors

Surveillance Survey (BRFSS). From direct observation, we’ve identified that more than 40%

of Americans have junk food that is high in fat in their diet, in addition to being a service
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offered by many restaurants, we see an opportunity to introduce the fruit to the US market

dehydrated as a snack, a need to help people to have a better diet the healthiest preferred

option that is available and is affordable and easily accessible to all consumers, since

statistically people with an energy imbalance between calories consumed and expended

present problems of Health. Natural that doesn’t present risks to the health of its inhabitants.

(THE REPUBLIC, 2021)

GULUPAL SWOT ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

° The dehydrated exotic fruit has an ° Lack of technification in some

innovative and highly accepted component.
° Being dehydrated is non-perishable in the
short term, therefore has large duration.
° Positioning of the export sector: Colombia
is one of the largest exporters of exotic fruit
worldwide, thus is ranked as 9th.
° The specific market for dehydrated fruits
such as soursop and gulupa doesn't present
wide competition.
processes.
° Lack of further development in the
country road infraestructures, which
increases the costs of logitics processes.
° Lack of speed in ICA and
INVIMA processes.

OPPORTUNITIES THREATS

° Political Stability ° Inflation

° Trade Policy ° Exchange rate
° Economic Integration ° Entry rules
° GDP ° Competence
° Trends
° Consumption
° GDP per capita
° Logistics Systems
° Technological development
° Environmental

protection standards
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BRAND

Countries such as the United States are the main buyers of this type of product, which in

recent years has had a “boom” and an accelerated foray into different markets, meeting the

needs of various types of customers such is the case of the "cronchaholics" that provide them

a different alternative to traditional chips. What the brand seeks is to direct its efforts to meet

the needs of a population varied in lifestyles, hit by diseases linked to poor diet, and that is, if

the main causes of death in the United States before the pandemic are reviewed, the main one

was heart problems with about 23%. GULUPAL wants to change lifestyles, make the

population aware that it’s necessary to open the door to new types of food, that there is a

varied catalog of food solutions aimed at any palate, which opens a space for change.

The dehydrated fruit market is in full swing, not only nationally but internationally, where the

company wants with GULUPAL to destroy markets and position the product in the highest

places with commitment and quality; without leaving aside the importance of the

environment. (NATURAL WAYU, 2020)

JUSTIFICATION OF THE PRODUCT AND COUNTRY CHOSEN BASED ON

MARKET INVESTIGATIONS

Colombia's exports to the United States have registered a growth close to 24% for the first

quarter of 2021 compared to the previous year, and it’s that thanks to the entry of the FTA

that completed nine years of its signing, Colombia has been able to export non-commercial
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products energy mining, thus opening a new market for these exporters. According to the

commercial intelligence bulletin, the United States registered for the year 2018 about 12% of

its total imports, in dehydrated fruit. Although these snacks do not have some properties that

fresh, whole fruits have, they do have dietary fiber and minerals such as iron, calcium and

magnesium. Under the above scenario, Americans are incorporating into their diet, products

such as dehydrated fruit snacks, which have a high content of antioxidants, fiber and

vitamins. According to the survey conducted by the USDA Agricultural Research Service:

WhatWeEat in America, NHNES 07-08, Snacking PatternsofU.S. Adults, shows that the

average number of snacks consumed per day doubled in the last 30 years and contributes to a

daily consumption of 586 calories in men and 421 in women, representing for 16% of those

surveyed more than 40% of their total calories. This rise is fundamentally due to the fact that

Americans are changing their eating habits towards healthy and nutritious products, which

they consider to be their snacks, which represent an additional meal. (COLOMBIA.COM,

2019)

PRODUCT ADAPTATION

An essential element when entering new markets is the adaptation of the product, according

to cultural and legal aspects of the destination country, since it depends on whether the

product is admitted in the country and acquires acceptance by the target customers, therefore

It’s essential to know the requirements of the country and also the cultural characteristics

such as customs, legal requirements and packaging regulations, among others.

CUSTOMER TYPE

The beneficiaries of this project will be: the population of the United States that has

overweight problems and is choosing to implement a healthy eating plan within their menu,

since the product is intended to replace a snack that these inhabitants frequently consume as

potatoes and sausages are. According to recent studies by Procolombia, the United States is
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the third largest importing country of dehydrated fruits, the percentage growth tables of

Trademap show a growth in the import of healthy food of 1.78% quarterly, which indicates

that the North American eats more and more healthy and this trend is to continue growing

since the American not only continues their "snacking" habits but they’ve increased them in

the last decade. In other aspects, the approach is to sell to supermarkets where people

constantly make their purchases from the family basket, so that they can see the product and

take it, also to stores of fitness products for high-performance athletes, in general to the

whole public that cares about your health.

DESTINATION COUNTRY REQUIREMENTS

All food offered for import into the United States must meet the same requirements as

domestic products such as complying with GMP (GMP) - 21 CFR 110 and any other specific

to the product, labeling, registration, etc.

General requirements

• Innocuous (Insurance)

• Free of Contamination: microbial, chemical and dirt

• Manufactured under good manufacturing practices that apply

• Properly labeled

• Comply with required administrative rules and procedures (i.e. registration, prior

notice, etc.)

Register of establishments

• Must be registered: Manufacturers or processors, packers and warehousing

operations. If a company manages 10 facilities, it must register each one individually

• It is recommended that registration be done through the website

(http://www.access.fda.gov)
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• You need to indicate an agent in the US.

• As of October 2012, registration is biannual. Once the establishment is registered, a

new registration is not required unless the firm moves or changes ownership. For a change of

owner, even for a merger of companies, or change of address, it is necessary to cancel the

registration and submit a new one. (EXPORT ACCESS)

Package

The new packaging technologies are designed at delivering a product that is more and more

elaborated under the concept of "healthy Snack". In this regard, our project will present its

product as a snack of 125 gr, 250 gr and 500 gr. Flexible flat bottom stand-up pouches

The pre-made flexible flat bottom pouches (stand-up pouches) offer an attractive combination

of properties: perfect protection, comfort, excellent presentation and long shelf life.

Advantages for the consumer: comfortable to use (reclosable top zip) (US IMPORT AGENT,

2015).

US information requirements for label

1. The package must be in English, because it’s not allowed in other languages

2. Brand

3. Product type

4. Quantity
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5. Ingredients must include information on preservatives and additives.

6. Name of the company responsible for its distribution in the USA, the postal code and city

information must be included.

7. Country of origin

8. Precautions should include food warnings that may cause allergies.

9. The label must include all nutritional information, calories, servings per container, and the

"Serving Size" statement. Bold the number of calories and the statement.

In addition, another important item in the package is the information about the country of

origin, the ingredients, responsible for the distribution in the US. (Food Safety and Inspection

Service, 2015)

Packaging

Packaging is the way in which products are protected, preserved and facilitate their transport

and storage throughout the international logistics chain, which must meet basic criteria of

functionality, resistance and be suitable for the selected transport. Additionally, it must

comply with the technical standards of origin and destination and be correctly marked with

the indications or restrictions that the cargo has, in order to minimize possible risks at the

time of transportation and distribution.

Therefore, according to Proexport (today for Colombia). We chose type C corrugated

cardboard packaging since it is commonly used, inexpensive, easy to recycle, good handling

behavior and lightness, offering good resistance to handling and risks of crushing or blows. It

is also commonly used in dry cargo export, is cheap compared to other materials, provides

ease of transport and storage, is recyclable, and is easy to mark with regard to care and

handling restrict.

Therefore, the boxes to be transported will be made in containers of 20 with internal

measurements of; length 5.898 mm. width 2.352mm. And 2393 mm high. These hold 13
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45cm boxes. Lengthwise (5,850 mm), 7 rows of 33 cm boxes. Width (2.310) and 9 floors of

25 cm boxes. At the top (2,250mm). This means that each container will hold 819 boxes and,

therefore, 221,130 bags, for a total of 12,162 kg, or 12.16 tons

Figure 1. Elements required in box marking. Based on Legiscomex (2021).

In addition to the above, for the merchandise to access the United States, it’s essential to mark

or label the boxes with elementary information such as the country of origin, producer's

brand, cargo handling pictograms, recipient and order number, and port of entrance or airport,

number of cargo boxes, measurements and weight. It is essential that they comply with the
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ISPM 15 standard that stipulates the phytosanitary regulations with which wooden containers

must comply, in order to avoid risks of introducing pests associated with international

transport to the country of destination. (Legis comex, 2021).

DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY

Colombian products have focused on serving the ethnic market of Colombians residing in the

United States, who already know the products and recognize their quality. These products are

part of the daily diet of consumers, which makes their demand permanent and constantly

growing. The distribution channels for these products are concentrated in chain stores.

Market entry is primarily through Hispanic distributors.

According to polling firm Nielsen, global consumers spent $ 347 billion on snacks a year

between 2013 and 2014, an increase of 2% year-over-year, according to the new Nielsen

global report. While Europe ($ 167 billion) and North America ($ 124 billion) account for the

largest number of snack sales worldwide, annual sales are growing the fastest in large

developing regions. Asia Pacific (USD $ 46 billion) and Latin America (USD $ 30 billion)

increased 4% and 9% respectively, while sales in the Middle East / Africa ($ 7 billion)

increased 5%. According to this firm "The competitive landscape in the Snacks industry is

very strong,". “The demand is based primarily on taste and health, consumers are not willing

to give up any of these attributes. The correct balance is decided by the consumer at the point

of sale. Understanding the 'why behind the purchase' provides the necessary vision to deliver

the right product, to the right consumer, at the right time”.

The Nielsen Global Snack Consumption Survey interviewed more than 30,000 online

consumers in 60 countries to identify which are the most popular snacks around the world

and which health, taste and texture attributes are most important when making a selection. .

(NielsenIQ, 2021)
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The distribution channels for these products are concentrated in chain stores, the

market entry is mainly through Hispanic distributors especially in Florida, Texas and New

York. According to the preselection of markets, the United States meets most of the

requirements for exporting the product, concentrating on a country with which there is a

current trade agreement and is one of the largest consumers of healthy snacks. Market

segmentation was the process used for the pre-selection, through this, the market is divided

into groups or homogeneous consumer segments, which meet a series of similar and

significant characteristics for the company that is gestated in the export project of gulupa

snacks. This segmentation allows to carry out a series of commercial strategies and thus

fulfill a double purpose: Better satisfy the needs of clients, and achieve the commercial

objectives of the company, or as a market goal, for which it will develop different marketing

strategies.

The distribution channels to be implemented are the following:

A) Direct through the use of social networks and website for orders.

B) Indirect-medium that is established through chain stores and supermarkets. This type of

channel allows the company to promote the expansion of sales and can be more costly due to

the fact that it will have to negotiate through sales percentages and also assign discounts for

wholesale sales. This indirect channel - despite its higher cost, can work better because it is a

brand establishment (already known by the end customer and incorporated into their way of

life and habits) that supports the product and offers it to its customers, with obvious

advantages to provide an adequate after-sales service.

FLOW DIAGRAM IN THE DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL

 Whole
Stew
Trader Joe’s Foods Costco Publix Wegmans SuperTarget Walmart
Leonard’s
Market
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The North American market within this context offers us a series of segmentation

characteristics, it is homogeneous, substantial, measurable, and accessible. The market

segmentation for the project is carried out using the variables in a combined way, that is,

using several variables, this last option allows to further specify the characteristics of the

market sector. Among the variables used, we have: geographic, psychographic, behavioral,

these last two mark the trend in the market of some states for a healthier diet, including the

basic variables of marketing and according to the growing chain of markets in the United

States. This demand this type of product. Consistent with these market aspects, the country

with the greatest potential for the export of dried fruits in general is the United States, in the

segment of processed fruits and vegetables it represented 2% more than in the same period of

2019, when external sales were of US $ 57.5 million. (Agro Business, 2020)
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REFERENCES

Agribusiness. (18 of 10 of 2020). Obtained from

https://www.agronegocios.co/agricultura/exportacion-de-frutas-deshidratadas-

liofilizadas-y-horneadas-movio-us588-millones-en-2020-3061816

COLOMBIA.COM. (30 of 08 of 2019). Obtained from https://www.colombia.com/vida-

sana/bienestar/que-es-la-gulupa-y-cuales-son-sus-beneficios-239602

EXPORT ACCESS. (n.d.). Obtained from

http://exportaccess.intradebid.org/recursos/details/8-pasos-para-la-exportacion-de-

frutas-y-vegetales-a-los-estados-unidos

Food Safety and Inspection Service. (24 of 03 of 2015). Obtained from

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-

safety-basics/meat-and-poultry-packaging#11

THE REPUBLIC. (05 of 10 of 2021). Obtained from

https://www.larepublica.co/economia/las-exportaciones-colombianas-a-eeuu-

crecieron-24-en-el-primer-trimestre-de-2021-3169212

Legis comex. (2021). Obtained from

https://www.legiscomex.com/Documentos/PROCESOEXPO_PASO7

NATURAL WAYU. (07 of 07 of 2020). Obtained from

https://naturalwayu.com/blog/2020/07/07/beneficios-de-las-frutas-deshidratadas/

NielsenIQ. (2021). Obtained from https://nielseniq.com/global/es/about-us/

Procolombia. (n.d.). Obtained from https://www.colombiatrade.com.co/node/17568

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US IMPORT AGENT. (2015). Obtained from https://www.usimportagent.com/fda-labelling-

requirements?gclid=Cj0KCQjwse-

DBhC7ARIsAI8YcWKTTSXqliDNCLmeCu3Ma8dR6M8Yuh5ggjMbdxdjZOpYIDZ

WaDF2GBEaAvxoEALw_wcB

Whole Foods Market. (n.d.). Obtained from https://www.wholefoodsmarket.co.uk/

REFERENCES

Agribusiness. (18 of 10 of 2020). Obtained from

https://www.agronegocios.co/agricultura/exportacion-de-frutas-deshidratadas-

liofilizadas-y-horneadas-movio-us588-millones-en-2020-3061816

COLOMBIA.COM. (30 of 08 of 2019). Obtained from https://www.colombia.com/vida-

sana/bienestar/que-es-la-gulupa-y-cuales-son-sus-beneficios-239602

EXPORT ACCESS. (n.d.). Obtained from

http://exportaccess.intradebid.org/recursos/details/8-pasos-para-la-exportacion-de-

frutas-y-vegetales-a-los-estados-unidos

Food Safety and Inspection Service. (24 of 03 of 2015). Obtained from

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-

safety-basics/meat-and-poultry-packaging#11

THE REPUBLIC. (05 of 10 of 2021). Obtained from

https://www.larepublica.co/economia/las-exportaciones-colombianas-a-eeuu-

crecieron-24-en-el-primer-trimestre-de-2021-3169212
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Legis comex. (2021). Obtained from

https://www.legiscomex.com/Documentos/PROCESOEXPO_PASO7

NATURAL WAYU. (07 of 07 of 2020). Obtained from

https://naturalwayu.com/blog/2020/07/07/beneficios-de-las-frutas-deshidratadas/

NielsenIQ. (2021). Obtained from https://nielseniq.com/global/es/about-us/

Procolombia. (n.d.). Obtained from https://www.colombiatrade.com.co/node/17568

US IMPORT AGENT. (2015). Obtained from https://www.usimportagent.com/fda-labelling-

requirements?gclid=Cj0KCQjwse-

DBhC7ARIsAI8YcWKTTSXqliDNCLmeCu3Ma8dR6M8Yuh5ggjMbdxdjZOpYIDZ

WaDF2GBEaAvxoEALw_wcB

Whole Foods Market. (n.d.). Obtained from https://www.wholefoodsmarket.co.uk/