African businesses listen to a Midland pitch

The West Midlands Chamber of Commerce provided 17 Midlands companies with the opportunity to pitch their products and services to African buyers at a specially organised event in Birmingham. The competitive event was designed so that the winners got the chance to sell their goods and services directly to 16 buyers from Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Kenya and Zambia.

All original 17 bidding companies were in food and drink, FMC goods, healthcare, business and professional services, each of whom were not at the time of the competition selling in Africa.

The winners of the competition got five minutes to introduce their business at iCentrum to buyers that included Umsini Healthcare  and Thrupps Retail from South Africa, LaFarge from Nigeria,  and Joint Medical Stores from Kenya.

Amanda Wilde from Umsini Healthcare of South Africa said: I have been really impressed with the innovations and potential difference that some of these products could make.”

Businesses that got the chance to showcase their offer for five minutes included Ivy Wild Hair from Birmingham, Tickle Tots from Staffordshire, Zeos from Coventry and Prowise Healthcare from Sutton Coldfield.

Nerissa Govender, trade services regional manager (southern Africa) at the Department for International Trade (DIT) said:”The buyers who have come over to the Midlands have been really impressed with the innovative goods and services that would work very well in a number of African markets. It is the first time they have experienced an event where companies pitch directly to the buyers and it is a novel idea that has proven to work very well.”

“I hope that this is just the beginning of what will be successful exporting relationships.”

The international relationships manager at DIT west midlands, Andy Smith, added:”It is the first time we have organised an event like this and feedback from the buyers has been very positive indeed, with projected sales in seven figures . I was really impressed by the quality of the presentations from the suppliers and we hope that the businesses who pitched will soon be selling into African markets.”