MKOn October 1st Macedonia2025 organized a roundtable on “Export development and bi-lateral trade partnership opportunities” hosted by our Board Members Vera Stavroff, President and CEO of HerbalScience and Zhivko Mukaetov, CEO and President of the MB of Alkaloid AD Skopje.
Some of the most significant importers from the food processing and confectionary industry, as well as from the wine industry participated at the roundtable. Ms. Stavroff and Mr. Mukaetov shared the successful business model of the Alkaloid products that are now sold in companies such as Aveda, Swanson Health Products and others. The 10 years cooperation is based on the exceptional quality of the products that Alkaloid offers, the technical knowledge of the company and the champion attitude that they have been nurturing since the beginning. The Good Nature line of teas is now sold all over the world. Africa, China and India are the next exciting markets to be explored by the company.
Export-oriented Macedonian companies mainly export to neighboring markets and the markets of South-East Europe. Although some of them have already made their presence in markets, such as Japan, which is very difficult to penetrate, they all concluded that the focus should be put on Russia, USA and China as the most attractive markets at the moment. All of the participants at the round-table accentuated the fact that the role of the Macedonian Diaspora is crucial for the first introduction of a product to a new market, but what makes a product extremely successful and attracts repetitive buyers is the premium quality, the competitive prize and the edgy design.
The exporters also face a number of challenges that inhibit their competitiveness in the global markets. The working group together with MK2025 will address these challenges and try to facilitate exporters’ access to better executive education, transfer of know-how and technology, and overall change of mindset of the Macedonian business community. The group has concluded that Macedonia has to build a globally recognizable brand by acting together, in synergy including all the relevant stakeholders: the businesses, the institutions and the professional Diaspora.
As an organization whose goal is to contribute to the economic development of the country we rely on our global network of members and contributors in order to help innovative Macedonian companies do business in foreign markets around the world. The Roundtable event was an announcement to the Macedonia 2025 Forum which will take place in Toronto, Canada on 24 and 25 October. At the Forum, government representatives from the Republic of Macedonia, as well as representatives from the business community are going to present the investment potentials of the country.