Case Study: Tan Bun Skrati N.V.

EXPLORING EXPORT MARKETS AND ADAPTING TO CONSTRAINTS As EU-funded support strengthened Tan Bun Skrati N.V.’s production capacity, product quality, and competitiveness, the company intensified its focus on market research, buyer engagement, and export pathway testing. In 2024, for example, founder Ellen Ligteringen conducted hands on market research in Barbados, visiting specialty retailers to assess demand, pricing, and product fit for artisanal chocolates and cocoa-based lip balms in a tourism-driven market. The findings reinforced the importance of refining the company’s market access plan to better align with buyer feedback and the realities of each target market.

This evidence-based approach has supported a steady expansion of the company’s international footprint.

Almost a decade later expanded into North America, entering

Tan Bun Skrati N.V. entered the EU market in 2015, now supplying

In 2025, the business launched a new commercial pathway through private labelling— producing its

Two shops in the United States of America in 2024

Three Shops in The Netherlands

72% & 80% chocolate bars and lip balms for a firm in Spain

At the same time, the company’s efforts to grow exports have highlighted the practical constraints that often limit small producers. Tan Bun Skrati N.V. has explored multiple markets but encountered barriers such as shipping costs and logistics (e.g., Brazil in 2019; Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, and Curaçao in 2024), minimum order quantity requirements (China, 2024), shipping restrictions linked to conflict zones (Israel, 2023), and production capacity limits during demand spikes (Amsterdam, 2025). Additional markets explored include Switzerland and the United Kingdom in 2025, where the company generated leads that have not yet converted into confirmed sales.

Case Study: Tan Bun Skrati | 2026

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