Asia-Pacific agri-food export webinar: 9 key takeaways

For Canadian agri‑food companies looking to grow beyond North America, few regions offer as much long‑term potential as the Asia‑Pacific.

That was the clear message from Export Development Canada’s (EDC) recent webinar, How agri‑food exporters grow in the Indo‑Pacific, featuring award-winning entrepreneur, author and venture capitalist, Arlene Dickinson. Widely known for her role on Dragons’ Den, Dickinson is the founder and general partner of District Ventures Capital, where she leads a fund dedicated to supporting and scaling companies in the food and health sectors.

Drawing on her recent visits to global markets, including Japan, Singapore and Thailand, Dickinson joined EDC’s Ashley Kanary, André Surprenant from Farm Credit Canada (FCC) and Canadian exporter Kurt Hominick, president of Naturally Homegrown Foods, to share practical, experience‑based insights on what it really takes to succeed in the region. Here are the key takeaways for exporters considering the move.

1. Asia‑Pacific isn’t one market—it’s many

One of the biggest mistakes exporters make, Dickinson says, is thinking of the Asia‑Pacific (also known as Indo-Pacific) as a single, unified market. In reality, it’s a vast region made up of dozens of countries, each with distinct consumer preferences, regulatory frameworks and business cultures.

“Japan is not Thailand. Thailand is not Singapore,” she notes. Each Asia-Pacific market requires a tailored approach on everything from product formats and packaging sizes to flavour profiles and price points.

Her advice to exporters exploring market diversification opportunities: Take your time. Rather than trying to enter multiple markets at once, companies that succeed start with one priority market, learn it deeply and then expand from there.

2. Canada has a powerful brand advantage

One of the strongest themes in the discussion was the positive perception of Canada across Asian markets, particularly when it comes to food.

“There is a lot of love for Canada,” Dickinson says. “I can’t say it enough. There is a lot of love internationally for our country.”

She notes that this goodwill goes beyond trade relationships. Canadian products are associated with quality, safety, food traceability and reliability. These attributes matter deeply in Asia-Pacific agri-food markets, where consumers are increasingly concerned about what they eat and where it comes from.

“These things about food safety, food traceability, food security—Canada checks all the boxes,” Dickinson says.

For exporters, this means the Canadian brand itself can be a competitive advantage. Dickinson encourages companies to lean into it, noting that clearly signalling a product’s Canadian origin through packaging, storytelling or branding can help build trust with buyers and consumers.

3. Premium, differentiated products beat low‑price strategies

Across the panel, there was strong agreement that competing on price alone is rarely a winning strategy in Asia-Pacific. High freight costs, tariffs and regulatory compliance make it difficult for foreign suppliers to be the cheapest option.

Instead, successful Canadian exporters tend to focus on premium positioning and differentiation. The region’s growing middle class is willing to pay more for products that offer quality, safety and uniqueness. Canadian agri-food producers often excel in these areas.

As Dickinson puts it, the opportunity isn’t just to export more food and commodities, but to export higher value food.

4. See the market for yourself

One of Dickinson’s most practical tips on getting started in Asia-Pacific is also the simplest: “Get on a plane.”

While market research and data are essential, she says there’s no substitute for experiencing your Asia‑Pacific target markets first-hand. Visiting stores, walking aisles, meeting distributors and seeing how consumers shop can reveal insights no report can fully capture—from packaging expectations and portion sizes to pricing realities and cultural nuances.

Being present in market also sends an important message to potential partners. It shows your commitment and seriousness about doing business in the region.

Dickinson encourages exporters to make those trips count by working with Canada’s trade team, including the Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) and EDC, to help plan visits, set up meetings and make introductions. “Once you see it for yourself, everything becomes more real and much more achievable,” the savvy businesswoman says.

5. Exporter insight: Be clear about who you are—and who you’re not

Kirk Hominick, president of Naturally Homegrown Foods (maker of Hardbite chips), shared first-hand lessons from exporting into markets such as Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

One of the most important realizations for his company was understanding that success didn’t mean trying to mimic local products.

“We went into Japan with a product that was targeted after one of the market’s largest selling SKUs (stock keeping units) and we just couldn’t replicate it. We didn’t know what that flavour profile really meant to the consumer,” says Hominick.

“It was an ‘a-ha’ moment for us,” he recalls. “We realized that we’re not a Japanese company; we’re a Canadian company. Our market is Japanese consumers who’re looking for a North American flavour profile, like a ketchup chip, or a dill pickle chip.”

By leaning into what made their brand distinct, rather than trying to replicate local tastes, Naturally Homegrown Foods found a receptive audience for its Canadian products in Asia. The company also learned that operational readiness matters. From quality packaging to production consistency, small details can have outsized importance in markets like Japan.

6. Relationships come before results

Unlike North America’s often fast‑paced, transactional business culture, Asia‑Pacific markets are highly relationship‑driven. The panelists agreed that trust is built over time and buyers want to get to know you and see commitment before making long‑term decisions.

That often means multiple in‑market visits, patience during long sales cycles and a willingness to invest before revenue follows. Exporters who expect quick wins may struggle; those who approach the region with a long‑term mindset are far more likely to succeed.

7. Canada’s trade team is ready to help

While the opportunities are significant, the panel was candid about the complexity of exporting to the Asia‑Pacific—from regulatory requirements to logistics and payment risk.

Ashley Kanary, director of global agri‑food at EDC, emphasized that exporters don’t need to navigate this complexity on their own. EDC works closely with the Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) and other Team Canada partners to help companies understand local markets, connect with trusted buyers and manage risk.

From market intelligence and introductions on the ground to tools like trade credit insurance, EDC solutions can open doors in global markets for Canadian agri-food companies. Kanary encourages exporters to tap into available support for agri-food companies early, before challenges become obstacles.

8. Grow before you go: Scale up for export success

André Surprenant, FCC’s senior vice-president, Western and Prairie Ag production, says successful exporting requires financial readiness, as well as market insight.

“The first step is having a significant footprint in your market here in Canada. Then, you can start thinking about exporting, he says, adding, “You don’t need to be coast to coast, but you do need real market share, along with the capacity, working capital and people in place to deliver reliably.”

FCC is a federal Crown corporation with offices across Canada that lends money and provides other services to primary producers, agri-food operations and agribusinesses.

FCC and EDC can support exporters through financing, equity investments and risk‑management solutions that make it easier to scale confidently and protect cash flow.

The takeaway: Exporters who leverage Canada’s trade ecosystem are better positioned to grow sustainably in complex markets.

9. Think long‑term—or don’t go at all

Perhaps the most consistent message from the webinar was that exporting to the Asia‑Pacific is a long‑term, strategic commitment—not a quick market diversification play.

Dickinson likens it to a marathon. Companies need to prepare, train and commit before stepping onto the track. Those that do the work—learning their markets, building relationships and using the right support—can unlock extraordinary growth opportunities.

If you’re considering exporting to Asia‑Pacific—or looking to deepen your presence there—the full webinar offers practical, experience‑based insights you won’t want to miss.

Log in or sign up for a MyEDC account to watch the full session on demand. You’ll hear directly from Arlene Dickinson, EDC, FCC and a successful Canadian exporter on how to manage complexity in this promising region, reduce risk and build a long‑term Asia-Pacific export strategy with confidence.