AMIGOS INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANCY
Your friends in getting your product right and getting it sold in the European Union
ABOUT
Who we are
We are a small team of enthusiastic socially and ecologically minded entrepreneurs, who love developing new products, meeting new companies and making new matches in our network of wholesale and retail outlets Europe-wide. Our areas of expertise include:
Production
Amigos International has organized farmer coops, built nurseries, certified products, developed USP's and attractive packaging.
Promotion
From international trade fairs to in-store tastings, from flyers to digital media, we know the options to promote within budget.
Marketing and Sales
Figuring out that sweet spot of the right product at the right price in the right market. Tough but friendly negotiation skills.
Distribution
We've figured out efficient logistics over the years, dealt with customs issues and inspections and distribution to wholesale, supermarket, shop and consumer throughout Europe,
Care for People & Planet
Amigos International has helped companies to take steps towards climate-smart agricultural production, getting them (organic, fair trade) certified and communicating their corporate sustainable responsibility in a clear way that generates more trust, and thus more business. We partner up with organizations like RockInSoils to provide organic composting workshops.
Thorough Methodology
When we meet, we will look at a few basic things:
1. Your production methods and resilience against climate-change;
2. Your (financial, environmental and social) goals and ambitions;
3. Your company's Unique Selling Points as well as those for your products;
4. Your (human and financial) capacity.
Based on this, we further develop your business and set realistic, achievable goals, with a concrete timeline to implement an action plan. We periodically monitor, evaluate and adjust the strategy, accommodating new developments.
STAFF
Jeroen Kruft
Senior Business Consultant
Jeroen (Jerome) Kruft grew up in The Netherlands, Tanzania, Jamaica and Indonesia. After getting a B.A. in Physics and Astronomy at Macalester College in Saint Paul, MN, Jerome worked in New York for the NY Board of Education, the United Nations Organisation and NYPIRG in the 1990's. From New York, Jeroen travelled extensively to Latin America, where he was inspired by farmers and their challenges to make the world a more fair place, with healthier production methods.
In 2003, Jeroen he started marketing and importing maximum added value (roasted & packed organic) coffee from Ecuador, while at the same time getting a Masters in Development Economics and Organic Agriculture at Wageningen University. For the next 18 years, he developed, imported and marketed many organic food products from Latin America, Africa and Asia, among which Escoffee, Inti Zen, Ananda Chocolate and Red Ape Forest Sugar & Chocolate.
Since 2006, Jeroen has consulted dozens of companies and business support organisations in marketing, price risk management and corporate social responsibility, such as climate-smart production, child labour and deforestation prevention. Jeroen also regularly researches and publishes market studies on coffee, cacao, price dynamics and sustainability issues.
Contractors have been Agriterra Foundation, Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries (CBI), Import Promotion Desk (IPD), Swiss Import Promotion Project (SIPPO), Advance Consulting and USDA/IESC, among others.
Bastiaan Bais
Business Consultant
Bastiaan Bais grew up in The Netherlands and holds a forestry management degree from Van Hall Larenstein.
He was instrumental in the success of Amigos International Trade, leading the marketing & sales department for over 10 years,
Together with Jeroen, Bastiaan developed, imported and marketed dozens of organic food products from all over the world.
Bastiaan is a specialist in trade fair participation, including stand construction. With Amigos International he has supported producers from the Global South at Biofach, SIAL, Anuga, Chocoa, and Salon du Chocolat, among others.
Bastiaan has carried out business development consultancies in Ecuador, India and Eastern Europe.
