We are delighted to welcome John Pearce from Plié to our blog. John will tell us more about importing from Brazil and the challenges of doing business in this country.
Tell us about Plié…
The Plié brand was created from scratch by the Highstil Corporation in 1999.
The aim was to create a high end, seam-free lingerie brand for professional Brazilian women. Plié is now a stand-alone company, exporting all over the world with the support of EU and SA agents and distributors.
How did you start importing products from Brazil into the EU?
I worked for Plié as an exporting sales agent in Brazil then eventually won the European distribution rights in 2004 upon returning to the UK.
How do you find dealing with the supply chain in Brazil?
Mixed. The chain I buy from is thankfully short so I’m not exposed to the ups and downs of local (Brazilian) raw material or labour problems. The logistic and export customs can sometimes run smoothly but often is a total nightmare.
What support do businesses get in Brazil to export?
There are a few incentive schemes to help smaller businesses but I’m not sure if larger firms get much help. The trade body for lingerie and fabrics in Brazil is called ABIT and they do help aspiring export companies with overseas trade events.
What are the main challenges of exporting from Brazil?
Finding a product range and a company that are good enough and well organised enough to compete in “advanced” economies.
Any advice you would give companies interested in penetrating the Brazilian market?
Seek professional advice beforehand from a competent consultant (such as Sunny Sky Solutions) [note: thanks, John!] that knows the Brazilian pitfalls and will save you massive amounts of time and effort.
The Plié website is available at http://www.plieuk.com/
