Webinar: Cultural Intelligence at the Americas Food & Beverage Show 2026

On Tuesday, July 28, the event Webinar: Cultural Intelligence at the Americas Food & Beverage Show 2026 was held, a highly valuable virtual connection space designed exclusively for business owners and participants of this year's trade show. This meeting, organized with the Colombian American Chamber of Commerce Miami as the organizational engine, served as a platform to delve into the commercial, regulatory, and human dynamics required to successfully enter the U.S. market.
The event featured Susan Rodríguez, founder of Green Goes, a corporate member of the Chamber and an expert with extensive experience in international logistics and green product imports. Drawing from her practical and theoretical background in ports and customs operations, Rodríguez shared key recommendations for businesses to maximize their presence at the show.
Cultural Intelligence: Human Relations Over Technology
In a business landscape heavily influenced by digitalization, the speaker emphasized that business is still built on human relationships and authentic connections. "Cultural intelligence" involves understanding these distinct negotiating styles, developing a concise and assertive elevator pitch, and establishing the trust needed to capture a buyer's immediate interest.
Similarly, Rodríguez shared demographic insights from the previous exhibition, which recorded an impressive 79% actual attendance rate among registered participants, including buyers and exhibitors from multiple countries. To optimize time during the three-day event, she recommended utilizing the official show application to target and locate key prospective buyers beforehand instead of navigating the floor without a clear route.
Commercial Planning and Logistics Challenges in the United States
The connection space covered critical operational aspects and strategies to successfully and sustainably enter the North American market, structured around the following pillars of corporate value
- Market Identification and Reputation: The discussion highlighted that while 70% of the show's buyers reside in the U.S., a significant portion procures goods destined for the Caribbean and Latin America. Furthermore, the reputation of Colombian products remains exceptionally high in the Caribbean, making those islands highly attractive targets for regional expansion.
- Cash Flow Management and Hedging: Participants addressed the ongoing challenges associated with the current exchange rate (TRM) and its direct financial impacts. The session evaluated critical risk mitigation mechanisms, such as mid-term banking exchange rate hedges and international factoring to optimize liquidity.
- Distribution Channels and Importation Logistics: The typical payment terms demanded by distributors and mid-sized supermarkets—ranging from 30 to 120 days—were analyzed. Alongside Chamber experts, businesses were encouraged to map out entry channels (direct sales, brokers, or local distributors) and consider utilizing the Foreign Importer of Record mechanism to navigate strict traceability regulations.
- Strategic Cargo Consolidation: To overcome the hurdles of exporting in large quantities, the speaker suggested exploring strategic alliances to consolidate shared cargo within single containers, allowing smaller or newer businesses to reduce ocean freight costs.
Honesty as the Foundation of Business Credibility
Lastly, Susan Rodríguez concluded with a powerful appeal for commercial transparency: business owners must strictly commit to their real, tangible production capacities and avoid overpromising or "selling smoke". Maintaining operational honesty is the single most valuable asset for establishing long-term business relationships in the U.S. market, which is characterized by closely interconnected professional networks where trust is a definitive factor.
From Colombian American Chamber of Commerce Miami, we extend the invitation to the entire business community to continue participating and attending upcoming events, using these spaces of conversation to continue connecting, expanding their vision, and learning from real experiences that strengthen their decision-making.
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