Our client, Hemporium, is a Cape Town-based company that imports sustainably-grown hemp from China, and then uses it to make eco-friendly fashion and lifestyle products to sell locally and in the Netherlands. Read more to learn about how they decided to start importing to South Africa and how they found their suppliers to do this. You will learn about their obstacles, and how planning ahead to consider lead times and shipping delays has been a vital skill to learn to deal with these obstacles.
1. Can you please share a bit of background information about your business?
Hemporium is a South African hemp company dedicated to educating people about industrial hemp’s potential through the use of innovative products while creating an awareness of all the hemp has to offer. It was born out of a desire to positively impact the environment and educate the world about the numerous benefits of hemp.
Our long-term goal is to promote legislative change so that cultivation of industrial hemp in South Africa becomes a reality. We are certain that given the opportunity to grow this sustainable crop, the hemp industry could help provide solutions to the environment and the economy.
2. Which countries do you export to or import from?
We import hemp textiles from China. Most of our customers are in South Africa, but we also export to the Netherlands.
3. When did you realise your business was ready for exporting/importing? What were the key indicators?
We realised that hemp textiles were not available locally, and so we decided to start importing from 1996 to sell to South Africa.
4. Can you share some tips for finding and researching international markets for export, or international suppliers for import? Where did you find your best leads?
We rely on our agents in China who we partner with to source ethically and environmentally friendly sustainably farmed hemp.
5. What was your biggest initial fear or concern about exporting/importing, and how did you address it?
Our biggest concerns have been fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, long lead-times, and shipping/port delays. We found planning and forecasting work to our advantage to reduce any problems with lead times and shipping delays.
6. Did you encounter any unexpected obstacles, and how did you adapt?
Our greatest obstacles have been lead-times and shipping times, especially when there are delays. We adapt by ensuring our mills continuously manufacture hemp textiles so that there are no interruptions to our supply. It is vital to learn to plan in advance and be able to manage your stock well ahead of time. This helps to prevent any delays or supply problems from your side to your customers. It’s important to be able to consider lead times and shipping delays in your planning.
7. Did you attend trade shows or participate in international business development programs? If so, can you mention any that were helpful?
If you’re able to, it is essential to visit your suppliers in order to create good partnerships.
