A Wearside firm specialising in providing training and analytical
services for the brewing industry is toasting its success overseas
following support from UK Trade & Investment's Virtual Export Manager
(VEM) programme.
Brewlab Ltd, established in 1986, operates from the University of
Sunderland providing a range of training courses for first-time
brewers, the keen amateur through to the professional looking to keep
their skills and knowledge updated.
The company also offers a comprehensive analysis service covering
both chemical and microbiological assessments including accurate
analysis of alcohol levels to determine the correct payment of duty
as well as determining chemical characteristics and specific flavour
components.
The company was keen to be able to exploit the opportunities in
overseas markets and signed up to UK Trade & Investment's Passport to
Export programme and later the VEM initiative as well as taking
advantage of the Export Market Research Assistance and buying an
Overseas Market Introduction Service report.
Jeff Bean, UK Trade & Investment's Regional Specialist International
Trade Adviser for the food and drink sector, worked closely with the
company to put together and implement an export strategy and through
VEM, Brewlab was teamed up with Piero Alberici, who has more than 15
years experience of successful work in international sales and
marketing.
One of the key elements of the company's new export strategy was to
develop and "internationalise" its website - www.brewlab.co.uk - to
enable it to take full advantage of the international opportunities.
This led to a record number of students, some from as far afield as
Australia, Japan, Italy and the USA, attending Brewlab at the
University of Sunderland this year with all courses full. Most of the
2009 courses already have confirmed bookings, helping to keep Brewlab
in its place as the UK's leading provider of training courses for
micro brewers. More recently, Brewlab welcomed its first student from
South America, travelling from Venezuala to attend the three-week
Practical Brewing skills course.
Dr Keith Thomas, one of the Directors at Brewlab, said:
"The VEM scheme was invaluable in helping us to realise our
potential. It is an ideal tool for small businesses like ours to gain
cost effective access to regional expertise.
"Such is the growing international reputation of Brewlab that in
April this year a new course was created in collaboration with the
national Institute of Brewing and Distilling entitled "Fundamentals
of Brewing". This was held at the University of Durham and was
attended by 20 students from across the UK and Ireland bringing new
visitors to the region."
Stephen Muir, UK Trade & Investment's VEM programme manager, said:
"Since its launch in 2005, VEM has helped 46 companies across the
region. The feedback we've received has been very positive and we're
keen to ensure more companies can take advantage of this service.
"Our aim is to ensure we match companies with a suitably experienced
'virtual export manager', with a working knowledge of the sector the
company operates in and with a proven track record in export markets.
"Brewlab Ltd not only benefited from the support of VEM but also
Passport to Export, which ensured the company had access to all the
support and advice it needed. The OMIS report commissioned by the
company also provided valuable information on the target markets.
"This is a great example of how UK Trade & Investment can help a
company achieve its export ambitions and we would encourage others,
whether new or experience exporters, to get in touch to find out how
we can help them. "
Submitted by: Sunderland Business Network