ECRM – Natural, Organic, Plant-Based, Keto, & Gluten Free Food & Beverage Session

A WINNING FORMULA, GUARANTEED MEETINGS!

The Group Export Agri-Food, in partnership with ECRM (Efficient Collaborative Retail Marketing), is offering you a unique formula for individual meetings with buyers in your product categories. You will benefit from one-on-one meetings with retail buyers in the United States and Canada. These meetings will last 10 or 20 minutes, depending on the chosen session.

Click here to see the confirmed buyers’ list for Natural, Organic, Plant-Based, Keto, & Gluten Free Food & Beverage Session.

How ECRM works:

• Program: You will be provided with a personalized program, tailored to your abilities and objectives. A quality program, with individual meetings!
• MarketGate Software: You will have access to buyer information through the software, enabling you to plan effective and relevant appointments. For tracking meetings, you will be able to add your notes, which you will also have access to after the event.
• ECRM: Consecutive 10- or 20-minute appointments are scheduled for 3-4 hours each day.
• RangeMe:  This platform will put you in direct contact with buyers for sample requests, orders and ongoing conversations.
• ECRM “Client Success Manager”: assists you throughout the program: from meeting preparation to meeting follow-up.

Three options are available within the framework of ECRM | Discovery Hub, Innovation Pipeline & Planning Session

Discovery hub – 10 minutes
Ideal for brands looking to get discovered by national and regional buyers that are sourcing new items and suppliers.

• Includes access for one (1) attendee: 10-minute appointments in the ballroom, hotel accommodations, meals, ECRM session services, networking functions and educational opportunities.
• Register an extra attendee for $US650 (approx. 900$) per person, per day.
• This formula is open to first-time attendees only.

Innovation Pipeline – 10 minutes
Ideal for brands looking to grow distribution with buyers including national, regional and alternative channels.

• Includes access for one (1) attendee: 10-minute appointments in a private 10×10 booth, hotel accommodations, meals, ECRM session services, networking functions and educational opportunities.
• Register an extra attendee for $US650 (approx. $900) per person, per day.

Planning session – 20 minutes
Ideal for brands seeking strategic collaboration, distribution and planning with key buyers across all channels.

• Includes access for two (2) attendees: 20-minute appointments, hotel accommodations, meals, ECRM session services, networking functions and educational opportunities
• Register an extra attendee for $US650 (approx. $900) per person, per day.

Pricing Options

• Regular rate:
  • 10min: Session Discovery Hub: 3,550 $
  • 10min: Innovation Pipeline: 4,900
  • 20min: Planning session: 7,700 $

A minimum number of participants is required in order to carry out this activity. We invite you to register, and once the minimum number is reached, you will be notified.

Market data

The sector trend analysis – Plant-based protein food and beverage trends in Canada, presented by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, showed that “The largest global import market for plant-based food ingredients (such as soy, peas, vegetable gluten) is the United States, which in 2023 accounted for 77% of Canadian plant protein exports (valued at Can$1.83 billion out of a total of Can$2.36 billion)”.

Financial assistance for participants

50% reimbursement of one economy class airfare (2 per exhibiting company with a maximum of $650 per plane ticket);

• The company must imperatively provide proof of travel (e.g., an invoice of flight, train, bus, etc. with complete itinerary or receipt for the purchase of gas near the place of destination).
• In case of purchasing a higher class airfare ticket, you will have to present an economy fare travel estimate for the same route, date and flight in order to be reimbursed.
• Flight must have been paid for; redemptions of bonus points of any kind remove the right to this subsidy.
• The Group Export reserves the right to request any additional supporting documents.

​A financial assistance of 75% up to a maximum of $3,000 eligible expenses per company for the following items:

• Sample shipping fees: If a consolidation service is offered through Group Export, shipments must be made through this service in order to be eligible for coverage. Otherwise, invoices must be issued in the name of Groupe Export and paid by them to qualify for a subsidy.
• Additional setup costs (ex: fridge rental, etc.)

By registering to this event, you agree to complete and return the activity report which will be forwarded to you shortly. You will have 60 days following the event to send us back the completed report, otherwise you may be required to reimburse the subsidies received for this activity. The data that will be compiled is for the sole purpose of evaluating the economic benefits of this activity.

Cancellation Policy

The Group Export Agri-Food is a non-profit organization who manages export financial programs from the ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation du Québec and from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

As a government program manager, Group Export has defined a general cancellation policy to follow when participating in a trade show. Policy’s details are as follows:

When a participation or registration form is signed by a representative of a company, this company becomes liable to the Group Export Agri-Food, as this form is a contract between the company and the Association.

• 1. In the five days following registration, the company must pay, as a deposit, 50% of participation fees. This amount can be paid by check, direct deposit or credit card by contacting Group Export’s financial department at 450-649-6266. Direct deposits are preferred.
  2. The remaining 50% of participation fees must be paid at least 60 days before the activity.
  3. If the company does not respect these terms, Group Export Agri-Food has the right to cancel the company’s participation.
  4. When a company is cancelling its participation:

• • If the company or the Group Export Agri-Food finds a replacing participant, the full amount will be reimbursed, except for a $200 administration fee, as soon as a replacing participant has paid in full the amount due.
  • In case a substitute cannot be found, all other incurred charges, including 100% of the invoice for a space reservation, would be charged to the company.

All cancellation requests must be made in writing and be addressed to the person in charge of the activity, whose name appears on the participation form.

This policy was ratified by the Group Export’s Board of Directors on February 14, 2008.

Eligibility for participants

To qualify as a participant, the company must:

• Meet all eligibility criteria for provincial and federal subsidies applicable to this activity.
• Hold a license number from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) or demonstrate that it is not required for its type of business.
• Have a registration number with the Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

The Group Export reserves the right to refuse any registration for this activity.