Translation is a key process for any company that wants to ‘go global’ and those in the food and drink industry are no exception. The value of British food and drink exports continues to rise year on year. In 2019, UK food, feed and drink exports were worth £23.7bn – an increase of 4.9% compared to 2018. For anyone looking to sell their products outside of Britain, localisation will be an important step along the way.
Language translation can help YOU take advantage of business opportunities in a global market.
So what are some things to think about when exporting your food and drink in terms of translation?
Website – first impressions count
Your website will be a fundamental part of your marketing strategy and the first port of call for many customers or business partners, so why not ensure it is accessible to your target market? Having a website that is localised to the target language will create a positive first impression – make your page easy for your customer to navigate and you will keep their interest. A localised website also shows that you appreciate and respect the language and culture of the country you are exporting to. SEO translation is an add-on service that works to help you move up the all-important search engine rankings in other countries, and could prove to be that extra boost that pushes your company on to overseas success.
Packaging – follow the rules
The importance of packaging should be viewed from both a legal and marketing standpoint, as your labels should be both attention-grabbing and accurate. It is therefore essential to make sure your food labels and packaging are translated by an industry professional. Ingredient lists and allergy information are vitally important information for the consumer, not only in the free-from food sector, but throughout the entire food industry. A translator will be aware of the legal requirements for the country of distribution when translating.
Menus – stand out for the right reason
If you are in the restaurant business, a poor menu translation can have a negative effect on both your brand image and your customers’ appetites. The translation mishap below is an example of what can go wrong when using a non-native or inexperienced translator:
Operational documents, digital and print
Professional translation services ensure that all vital written information is translated in a manner that is both accurate and easy for all parties involved to understand. Examples of documents that are often translated for the food and drinks sector include production equipment user manuals, training materials, HR documents, employee contracts and customer agreements.
Why use us?
When exporting your produce there can be lots of different steps to consider along the way; working with a translation agency can take some of the pressure off.
From manufacturers of baby food, chocolates and pet food to publishers of vegan cookbooks, we have wide experience and expertise of working with the food and beverages sector. Here at Surrey Translation Bureau (STB), we turn around polished translations for you leaving you to focus on the other aspects of your business.
STB also attends a number of food and drink industry exhibitions from Welcome Italia to the Allergy and Free From Show to keep up with the industry trends and updates and meet potential and existing clients involved in export.
One such client, Naturelly, have been introducing their healthy products to various overseas markets using the services provided by STB.
