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U.S. Meat-Trading Company in Miami Goes Global with EXIM Financing

The type of dedication needed to run a successful small business is full of sacrifice, risk, and reward. And for U.S. companies that decide to take their sales globally, truly understand what it requires to grow and expand on that success.

An example of one of those companies is Andes Global Trading LLC in Miami, Florida, which is a meat-trading enterprise founded by Santiago Manzur and Ivan Orrego in 2011, who used their entire life savings to get things started.

In the first year of business, Orrego and Manzur worked from home and put 100% of their focus into developing customers that aligned with their CORE values. Within those 12 months the business grew quickly, with $2 million in sales.

“For Andes, everything starts with the CUSTOMER. Our team around the world shares a single focus – helping clients feel so good about their decision to buy from us that they become our customers for life,” said Orrego.

The company also works with the U.S. government’s Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) for competitive financing with their international customers in Mexico and throughout Latin America. The financing does several things for Andes – from providing access to capital through loan guarantees, to allowing them to extend open-account credit terms to buyers with export-credit insurance.

Once a US business’ foreign receivables are credit-insured by EXIM, it becomes a domestic one, and carries the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. This protects the exporter against non-payment from foreign buyers, while enabling them to offer flexible repayment options at the same time.

As a result, Andes has increased its presence in Mexico and plans to continue using EXIM’s coverage with new customers.

“It helps small and medium enterprises to strengthen their credit image and strengthen themselves in the eyes of a very competitive market,” said Ivan. “I would not have a business right now, without EXIM help.”

Now with a team of 37 employees located in Florida, Texas and Georgia, Mexico and Canada, Andes Global is selling $150 million worth of meat annually.

They also take advantage of EXIM’s network of trade-finance brokers by working closely with a firm called Ari Global to help manage their export-credit insurance policy, at no cost.