Nikki Carr recently sat down with Cameron Gordon, Partner and Head of Client Growth at Incite, to discuss the realities food and beverage brands face when expanding into Asia Pacific export markets — and why success in the region depends on far more than simply securing distribution.
According to Cameron, one of the biggest misconceptions brands have is believing a strong product alone guarantees export success.
“Asia Pacific export markets are full of opportunity, but they are also incredibly competitive,” Cameron explains. “Brands often underestimate how much preparation is required before entering a market properly.”
One of the first challenges is what Cameron describes as “meeting the market” — ensuring a product will be commercially viable in the target export market prior to pitching to distributors and retailers as part of a broader food and beverage export strategy.
“A product might perform well domestically, but once you add freight, import duties, distributor margins, retailer margins and marketing investment, the retail price can quickly become uncompetitive,” he says. Accurately assessing the margin value chain ensures adjustments can be made before pitching to potential customers.
Incite works closely with brands to analyse pricing structures, retail positioning and supply chain margins before any major investment is made. This includes understanding compulsory retailer investments such as listing fees and in-market marketing support.
“We spend a lot of time helping brands understand the full value chain,” Cameron says. “If the numbers don’t work from day one, growth (and survival) become extremely difficult later.”
Another major challenge is distributor selection — something Cameron believes is often approached too casually by exporters.
“Many brands think the goal is simply finding a distributor. In reality, the wrong distributor can hold a brand back for years,” he explains.
Cameron says the best distribution partnerships are built around alignment, not just scale.
“You need a partner that genuinely understands your category, has access to the right retail channels and merchandise managers within them, and has the capability to grow brands over the mid to long term through effective marketing, promotion and merchandising. Bigger isn’t always better.”
Having lived and worked in Asia since 2011, Cameron and Incite have built extensive networks across Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea, specialising in opening and growing APAC market entry opportunities for food and beverage brands.
But securing distribution is only the beginning. “One of the biggest mistakes exporters make is becoming too hands-off after signing a distributor agreement,” Cameron says. “Distributor selection APAC and ongoing distributor account management is critical. Brands that stay engaged with their partners consistently perform better.”
Incite supports clients with ongoing distributor account management, helping maintain momentum and growth in-market with sales and marketing management.
“Across Asia, relationships matter enormously,” Cameron explains. “You can’t expect distributors to prioritise your brand if there’s limited engagement from the supplier side.”
The final piece, Cameron says, is building brand awareness in-market — particularly through social media marketing.
“Consumers across Asia are highly digitally engaged. In many markets, social media heavily influences purchasing behaviour, especially for imported food and beverage brands.”
However, Cameron notes that simply repurposing Western marketing campaigns rarely works effectively.
“Every market has different cultural nuances, platforms and consumer expectations. Localisation is extremely important.”
Incite helps brands develop and deploy market-relevant social media strategies that support retail sell-through and strengthen brand recognition over time, particularly across Southeast Asia market entry campaigns.
“At the end of the day, successful export growth comes from taking a long-term approach,” Cameron says. “The brands that succeed are the ones willing to understand and adapt to the market, invest strategically and build strong local partnerships over time.”
If you’re looking to expand your F&B brand into the APAC region, Incite can help you navigate the export journey with confidence. Get in touch with our team to discuss a strategy that suits your brand’s needs and supports your long-term food and beverage export strategy.
