Simone Klaasen, co-founder of Ginger Love, proudly represented SA at Japan’s Food Export Fair 2023, marking yet another successful international expo for the brand.
This exclusive trade fair, favoured by the Japanese government, attracts importers, wholesalers, and buyers from around the world.
Klaasen, elated by the opportunity, described the experience as truly amazing for both herself and the Ginger Love brand.
”The Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), played a significant role in bringing about this opportunity. Their commitment to acknowledging small businesses in the Eastern Cape has been exceptional.
“Showcasing our business, province, city, and country on a global stage is an awe-inspiring moment,” Klaasen said.
This event in Japan was the second international expo Ginger Love participated in. Last year, Klaasen represented the brand at the World Trade Show in Dubai. Both occasions provided valuable insights into different aspects of brand marketing.
”Every expo is unique, catering to specific needs and desires. Dubai’s World Trade Show focused on business-to-business meetings, where major global companies convene for trade. It was an incredible honour to engage with industry leaders from around the world.
“In contrast, Japan’s fair targets consumers and acts as a platform for learning about new products and connecting with companies seeking innovative offerings. It’s an extraordinary opportunity to interact with customers and meet diverse businesses,” Klaasen said.
Building on their accumulated experience and knowledge, Ginger Love continues to flourish. Later this year, they plan to introduce the Ginger Love Travel Shot to their product range.
The company also aims to reach out to schools in need, educating young children about topics such as litter, sports, exercise and wellness.
”Ginger Love’s narrative revolves around healing, and we’re always eager to share personal stories of healing, both ours and those of others across the globe. Our vision is to make every bottle of Ginger Love sold contribute to feeding, assisting, and transforming the lives of children.
“As a small business, we are immensely grateful for the love, support, and the opportunity to change lives,” Klaasen said.
Lizelle Maurice from Border Kei Chamber of Business says that Ginger Love attending these international expos is a direct result of their hard work and shows that other businesses can also follow in their footsteps and reach global success.
“ I think opportunities like this really open access to markets for smaller entrepreneurs and businesses. They expose small businesses to the opportunity to not only expose the product to the global market but also to meet other business people. It creates for them the opportunity to partner with the business at a later stage,” said Maurice.
