Growing numbers of working women and younger consumers are driving demand for products perceived as healthy to eat and quick to prepare. Coupled with the long shelf life of both products, demand for pasta and cous cous has consequently continued to grow. Trade in these products has traditionally been straightforward and profitable, as suppliers import goods and sell them into major retailers, who retail them to consumers through their established distribution networks. As global retail markets become more established and efficient, demand for both these products has grown.

Moreover, astute market leaders are capitalising on consumer demand for diversity by manufacturing specialist pasta products. These can take the form of flavoured or coloured pastas, or niche products such as wholemeal, reduced carbohydrate, fortified or gluten-free pasta. Under pressure from private labels and own-brand producers, the larger pasta brands have also pioneered the use of solely natural additives in pasta products in an attempt to consolidate and expand their market shares.

This demand for quantity and quality of these goods can put pressure on suppliers’ order books. As international orders become larger and more frequent, the trade cycle between paying suppliers to dispatch goods and returning a profit on the sale of the imported receivable lengthens, which has put serious pressure on many agents’ cashflow. Trade finance products can bridge this gap by providing a source of credit to buyers to pay their suppliers and return a profit on their investment before repaying the lender.