I am looking at a change of job for the new year, both myself and Par have had enough of me being away from home for most of the week and basically i have decided not to go back after the break.
I have a few irons in the fire which should give me an income, but i was looking at starting up a business importing fruit and veg etc from Thailand which are pretty scarce here in the North East.
I wont bore you with too many details, only to say iam looking at getting a sort of mobile thai supermarket. I know that the owners of Raan Thai in Wallesey had one in the past, maybe still have, and it seemed very popular.
The trouble is i really havent got a clue where to start.
Is there certain export companies in Thailand who would supply me, Do i need to go get an import license, etc etc.
I dont know if anyone on here can point me in the right direction but any advice would be appreciated

I bought some stuff from the Thai Market in Edinburgh the other day. The website for wholesalers that imported the stuff is here.

I don't claim to know much (anything) about importing stuff directly but I'm guessing it would be easier to deal with a company that does it in bulk.

Hope it's of some help.

I would speak to the Thai Embassy as I believe they provide help for importing fresh veg and fruit

Start here Wade Trade

I have done the course about five years ago, I gave my course work to a Thai friend in the UK, who wanted to start a import agency here. I recommend them. It ain't rocket science anyone with a few bob can start up.

did you end up doing anything in the import/export field after doing the course and if so how did it work out.

beat me to it storm !!
I have been to the wade website as suggest and all looks good, but i was going to ask the same

no money is made importing vegetables or fruit most importers only cover the cost of airfreight, you will need to import other products that will make your profit margin.

the web site link are based in bournemouth you order with them,they send order to the distribution in bkk, the products arrive in heathrow and get freighted from heathrow to the company's that ordered in bournmouth.

retailer's make the profit on produce not imports they make this on other items (pastes sauces)etc.

sean

Don't suppose anybody knows anything about importing to thailand/exporting from the uk?

quote:

Originally posted by Prenders:
Start here Wade Trade

I have done the course about five years ago, I gave my course work to a Thai friend in the UK, who wanted to start a import agency here. I recommend them. It ain't rocket science anyone with a few bob can start up.

After going through the website I have decided to give this a go. I've been looking for a possible business venture to get me slowly out of my present employ so this just maybe something i can do. Seems all it takes is hard work! No problem!

they don't exactly jump on peoples enthusiasm though as they tell me it takes 7 - 10 days to deliver the course!

I shall let you know how I get on.
This time next year Rodders, we'll be millionaires!

The course has now arrived. It has to be said it is well presented and they seem to have good support in place for all would be entrapeneurs. Even when it wasn't delivered the support to locate it was immediate and withing 30 mins of my call to ask where it was, it was in my possesion. I've not come across that kind of service before. So time will tell.

Having done as suggested and read through it once, it seems to me that there are three key elements.

1. Knowledge. They certainly provide you with enough of that in a form any old fool like me can understand.

2. Commitment. Thats the part the would be trader has to provide.

3. This is the bit no-one can provide. Luck! I look at it this way. If you do two lines on the lottery every week, you will eventually get some luck. For the majority it will only be small peices of luck, but if you persist eventually you will get some luck, however small. I would guess it is pretty much the same here. Like the lottery the investment is small therefore the proportion of luck will be small.

Still it's interesting, and if something is interesting it is worth pursuing. So we will see what happens.

Next update will follow on receipt of first peice of luck So if there is no update........

Cheers
Phillip