Michigan Department of Agriculture e Rural Development
05/22/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/22/2026 12:52
MDARD, Food Export Assoc of Midwest to Bring International Buyers to Michigan this August
LANSING, Mich.-The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is partnering with the Food Export Association of the Midwest (Food Export) to bring international food and beverage buyers from 17 countries to Detroit for the Summer in the Cities Buyers' Mission (SITC) on August 10, 2026. Early registration for the event is open until June 12.
"MDARD's mission is to improve quality of life for Michiganders, which includes cultivating unique opportunities to help the food and agriculture industry thrive in Michigan and beyond," said MDARD Director Tim Boring. "Partnering with Food Export to bring Summer in the Cities to Detroit will connect our state's outstanding food and agriculture companies with opportunities to sell Michigan-made products in markets around the globe."
Buyers' missions are opportunities for companies to meet directly with multiple international buyers that seek to purchase a variety of food and agricultural products. This year's SITC Buyers' Missions will take place in Detroit, Indianapolis and Albany.
"Food Export's buyers' missions are amazing ways to connect with international buyers and make connections and relationships with different countries," said Natasha Halabu, operator at Grandpapa's Snack Company in Hamtramck. "Because of the help we have received from MDARD and Food Export, we currently sell our products in Saudi Arabia, Australia, Indonesia, Canada, and many more."
SITC's Detroit stop will feature buyers from Brazil, Canada, China, Japan, Peru, the Philippines, Vietnam and ten other countries. The main products of interest for SITC are snacks, beverages, nuts, dairy products, meat products and desserts and confectionary. For a full list of products of interest and buyers' profiles, visit the Food Export webpage.
MDARD's International Marketing Program and Food Export hosted the SITC Buyers' Mission in Grand Rapids in 2024. The 2024 event generated more than $1.6 million in immediate export sales and over $5 million in projected export sales.
For more information on the SITC Detroit stop, visit the Food Export webpage. Contact MDARD's International Marketing Program with any questions regarding the event.
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Michigan Department of Agriculture e Rural Development published this content on May 22, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 22, 2026 at 18:53 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]