After facing health challenges, Eve Laird successfully altered her diet and saw some fantastic improvements, only she was left with one issue: “There were no indulgent, yet healthy snacks I could eat!” she says.
Eve’s Crackers was born out of that snack craving for something both delicious and nutritious. The Eve’s team believes that healthy snacking should never sacrifice flavour, and her crackers prove that it’s possible. Eve’s crackers come in three flavours and are handmade in B.C., gluten free, vegan, ketogenic, and packed with fibre and protein from Canadian flaxseeds.
Headed down the coast
With a majority of her sales in Western Canada, Eve began looking for markets with similar consumers. The obvious answer was the US, particularly throughout the Pacific Northwest and California, but Eve had never exported before. “We were faced with a number of challenges, from figuring out our price structure to redesigning our packaging for FDA approval,” explains Eve.
Thankfully, she connected with Export Advisor, Nick Maclennan, who offered Eve information and resources to navigate the business through COVID-19 and to shape the company’s export plans. “Nick is friendly, communicative and knowledgeable,” says Eve. “We are so grateful to have him as a resource as we set ourselves up for success in exporting.”
It takes a village
Working with Nick allowed Eve to make vital connections with US partners, gain a better understanding of the US market, research competitors, and identify the infrastructure necessary for a successful US launch.
The contacts Eve gained through Nick have helped answer specific questions and will continue to guide her decisions as she navigates a new area of business. “Through our work with Export Navigator, we were able to put together an export plan that we can now execute against, one task at a time,” she explains.
Prepare to launch
“We are in the midst of our export journey, and are just beginning our market entry,” says Eve. But she knows that with Nick’s support, Eve’s Crackers has enhanced their competitiveness and efficiency, making for savings down the road.
Her advice to other business owners considering the Export Navigator program? “Do it,” she declares. “You’ll learn a tremendous amount, and the Export Navigator team does an excellent job of understanding which resources are best for your company and putting you in touch with them at the right time.”
