The UK will remain a high-income market for Spanish exporters, in the face of the prevailing tough trading conditions, UK-based Foods from Spain director Maria Jose Sevilla has insisted.
Speaking to representatives of the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s Food, Drink & Agriculture Group this week, Sevilla said the target for the next four to five years would be for Spain to maintain its position in the UK market.
“Trading is tough at the moment, especially because of the euro, and the structure of the UK market may have to change,” she said. “We have seen that already with the discounters.”
The “special trading relationship” between Spain and the UK will not go away, said Sevilla, but the market will have to adjust.
“How quickly the UK can adapt will be very important in a market so dependent on imports,” she said.
There is “no fidelity” in fresh produce, she added. “The only way to promote yourself as a country is to grow your produce well and have good transport. [Fresh produce] is an immensely mature market, and branding here is a very difficult thing to do because of the multiples.”
Sevilla also expressed her desire to see the expansion of the annual National Primary Schools Competition organised by Foods from Spain, in which students prepare collages representing healthy eating with Spanish fruit and vegetables.
“It is amazing what the little ones can do - I would love to expand this as it is very effective,” she said.
