A Cheltenham-based soft drinks supplier has just secured its first ever international contract with an importer in the UAE set to be worth £4.29 million over the next 5 years.
Founded in 2014 by a father and son duo, NFSG Ltd is the business behind the UK’s no.1 natural recovery drink, Overhang. Based on a century-old Italian family recipe, Overhang is a preservative-free, natural blend of ginger, orange and lime, with added milk thistle, burdock, raspberry leaf and vitamins.
In the first year, the new deal will see the company’s recovery drink stocked in an expected 500 stores across the UAE through ELS Export Trader General Trading FZC with the contract estimated to increase NFSG Ltd’s annual turnover by up to 50%.
The business reached out to the Department for International Trade (DIT) for support in finalising the deal after being contacted by the UAE distributor via its website. DIT provided the company with a digital marketing bursary to help internationalise its website which included Arabic translation, and DIT also supported NFSG Ltd with legislation, local authority registration and due diligence checks.
NFSG Co-founder William Wilkinson said:
“The prospect of our treasured family recipe being shipped abroad and enjoyed by people in the UAE for the first time is really exciting.
“I will be the first to admit that Brexit played a major role in our initial reservations about exporting, but businesses need to just carry on and utilise the international opportunities because there is no time to waste.
“If you are considering exporting, setting up overseas or even importing for that matter, I would recommend giving DIT a call, because help is precisely what they’re there for!”
William Wilkinson came up with the business idea after ending up on a boat-nightclub in the middle of Bristol, with the night quickly fading from memory. On his quest for a drink to revitalise him the next day, he phoned his dad for the family recipe, and thought it would be great if you could simply buy the recovery drink and just like that, Overhang was born.
NFSG has now partnered with one of the largest soft drink manufacturers in the world to help produce Overhang at scale without compromising on quality, taste or functionality. In the UK, the recovery drink can be found in Sainsburys, Morrisons, Tesco, ASDA, Holland and Barrett, WHSmith and Bargain Booze and on Amazon UK.
Paul Shand, DIT’s Head of Trade in the South West, said:
“It is great to be able to support companies like NFSG Ltd with their first venture into exporting and show other South West businesses what international opportunities are out there.
There is strong overseas demand for British food and drink, presenting the perfect opportunity for UK producers to capitalise.
“DIT has a network of expert International Trade Advisers on hand to help more businesses respond to this demand and navigate the entire exporting process.”
How to get started
To gain access to an experienced International Trade Adviser, who will act as your export guide and give you the confidence to explore or expand in overseas markets, simply contact our International Trade Centre today.
Call us on 01275 370 944
