Colorado Exports Take Local Products Across the Nation and the Globe
In partnership with: Colorado Department of Agriculture
It’s not just locals who enjoy the many delicious products of Colorado producers – the rest of the world does, too, thanks to several brands that export their products globally.
Colorado exports a range of products to 127 different countries and all 50 states. The state is a leader in exports to Mexico and exports a substantial amount of beef products to South Korea.
“Exportation is about a $2 billion industry for Colorado, and meat products make up about half of that,” says Ashley Warsh, international marketing and business development specialist for the Colorado Department of Agriculture. “We break exports up into major industries including meat, pulses and grains, produce, value-added products, beverages and live cattle.”
Warsh and her teammate, John Addison, help Colorado companies find international markets for their products by providing export intelligence and opportunities for producers to meet international clients.
“One of the biggest challenges for producers is meeting the buyers and figuring out who they should work with. So we go to trade shows and trade missions and bring buyers to them,” Addison says. “We also have buyers from other countries come to us and say what they’re looking for. We’re able to point them to the right Colorado companies.”
Export Exploration
One such company is Ska Brewing Company, located in Durango. The brewery was founded in 1995 and began shipping products internationally several years ago.
“I met some buyers from Sweden at a brewer’s conference and sent them some samples,” says Arlo Grammatica of Ska Brewing. “It took off and grew organically. Now we ship to Sweden, the U.K., the Netherlands, Ireland, France, Italy and Japan.”
He says in the last year, the company has made well over $100,000 in exports, and as a small company, it’s given them significant recognition.
“It helps to grow our company and Colorado as a whole,” Grammatica says. “I think it’s helped bring Colorado to the forefront of brewing. We’ve definitely had more Swedes stop in the brewery.”
Centennial Cuts in Fowler stays a little closer to home, shipping all of their meat products throughout the U.S.
“We started out with beef sticks and summer sausage at farmers markets, but we also offer frozen beef cuts and other meat products,” co-owner Luke Larson says. “A few years ago, we started working on an online presence and shipping across the country. We set up a kiosk at the Denver International Airport and have been shipping shelfstable products to almost every state.”
He adds that it has not only helped their directto- consumer margins but also gives people a taste of Colorado.
“For the people buying it, there’s always some tie to Colorado, whether they visited the state or are buying gifts for someone,” Larson says.
See more: Digital Marketing and Technology Help Producers Connect With the Public