They attended various international and domestic tradeshows, including Food West Africa, Grocery and Specialty Food West in Canada, and participated in Food Export’s Focused Trade Mission to Toronto for Specialty and Natural Products.

As a result of the Branded Program funding assistance, Iya Foods reported sales of $10,000 to Nigeria, as well as $2,500 to Canada. The company’s sale to Canada represented a first-time sale for them to that market. As Iya Foods’ CEO Toyin Kolawole states, her company entered the Canadian market because “[their] sauces are positioned to tap into Canada’s ethnic food trends in the community at large”. In Nigeria, Iya Foods is taking advantage of the large population and fast-growing packaged food market.

Iya Foods is a producer of various spices, seasonings, sauces, and other ingredients based on authentic African flavors. They have been part of the Branded Program since 2016 and have participated in various Food Export events throughout the years.

Food Export uses funding from the Market Access Program (MAP) to help America’s small businesses increase their exports of food and agricultural products. As these exports increase, these small businesses are creating jobs and improving the strength and stability of our agricultural economy. Food Export-Midwest and Food Export-Northeast are non-profit organizations that work in collaboration with their member state departments of agriculture and the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. They offer a wide range of programs and services that help boost America’s agricultural exports.