International Expansion of a Premium Artisan Brand

The client was a family producer of extra virgin olive oil from the Siurana (Tarragona) denomination of origin with three consecutive international medals, including a gold medal at the New York Olive Oil Competition. An extraordinary product that, however, was sold almost exclusively in the local market and through its own online shop.

The producer knew his olive oil had international potential, but did not know how to access those markets. He had received some unsolicited contacts from buyers in Japan and Germany, but did not have the structure or knowledge to manage those relationships professionally: certifications, labelling, logistics, payment terms, exclusivities...

The additional challenge was that the producer had limited production capacity — around 40,000 bottles per year — which made it essential to select markets and distributors very carefully to avoid compromising the product's premium positioning with excessive volumes or inappropriate channels.

The first step was to define the internationalisation strategy. With limited production capacity, the key was to select few but well-chosen markets: markets with a high willingness to pay for premium Mediterranean products, with a sophisticated gastronomic culture and with distributors specialising in the gourmet segment.

After the analysis, we prioritised six markets: Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, Switzerland and Denmark. For each one, we identified and contacted distributors specialising in premium olive oils, evaluating their current portfolio, their client network (gourmet shops, Michelin-starred restaurants, luxury hotels) and their ability to position the product in the right segment.

In parallel, we managed all necessary adaptations: Japanese labelling with required JAS certifications, packaging adaptation for the Anglo-Saxon market, obtaining European organic certification for markets that required it. We also advised the producer on pricing by market to maintain premium positioning without sacrificing margins.

Distribution agreements were negotiated with territorial exclusivity for an initial two-year period, with minimum purchase targets that guaranteed the producer a predictable base volume and the distributor the exclusivity as an incentive to invest in promoting the product.

14 months after the start of the project, the client's olive oil was available in six countries with exclusive distributors in each. The export channel went from representing 8% of total revenue to 52%, with a 180% increase in absolute value.

In Japan, the product was listed in three of Tokyo's most prestigious gourmet shops, including a chain with a presence in the country's leading luxury hotels. In Germany, the distributor secured listing in two specialised chains with more than 40 points of sale.

The production capacity constraint, initially seen as a limitation, became a positioning asset: the limited availability reinforced the product's exclusivity and allowed prices to be maintained at the premium level in all markets.