Where Ag Companies Go Wrong When Entering a New Market

Entering a new market can look deceptively simple. Make a few connections, hire someone on the ground, adapt what worked elsewhere, and start selling.

In reality, agriculture companies of all sizes underestimate the work required to gain meaningful traction in a new country. My experience relates mostly to companies entering Canada, so I will speak from that perspective. But the same mistakes appear in agricultural markets around the world.

Here are five places ag companies commonly go wrong when entering a new market:

1. They hire one country lead and then walk away

I have seen it before, and I am sure you have too. A company wants to enter the U.S. or Canadian market. It makes a few connections in the country and then hires an on-the-ground person to make it all happen.

And yes, that local presence is critical to a successful launch. The problem is when the company makes the hire and then walks away.

Now this one person is left to determine customer fit, channel strategy, product messaging, proof points, marketing requirements, and what they need internally, all while being expected to sell and eventually hire a team.

That is simply too much for one person to realistically tackle.

A while a well-connected person may generate some early wins, but a few opportunistic sales are not the same as building a market.

2. They assume “North America” is one market

Do we grow some of the same crops in the U.S. and Canada? Sure. Do we mostly speak English? Yes. Are many of our farms large-scale operations with modern equipment? Absolutely.

But dig deeper and there are significant differences across North America that matter to market success.

Canada is not the same as the United States. There are also major differences between regions within each country. Crops, rotations, terminology, production practices, distribution channels, and customer expectations all vary.

A company that treats North American market entry as a simple copy-and-paste exercise is unlikely to gain meaningful traction. You cannot take trial data from peanuts in Georgia and expect a wheat grower in Saskatchewan to care.

Canada and the United States require separate country plans. Those plans can sit within a broader North American direction, but they cannot simply be copies of each other.

3. They import a strategy from another country

The same issue appears when a company takes a strategy that worked in Europe, Australia, or another established market and tries to apply it directly to Canada or the United States.

That previous approach can be a useful starting point, but it still needs to be rebuilt around the local market.

The product may still be relevant, but the route to market could be different. The technical information may be sound, but the examples may not connect with local growers. The brand may be well known at home, while customers in the new market have never heard of it.

Entering a new market requires more than adapting a few sales materials. Companies need to understand how customers buy, what evidence they trust, which relationships matter, and how their product fits into local production.

4. They expect one trial to build the market

Smaller companies often underestimate how much local proof is required to establish credibility.

They run one trial, develop one piece of content, and expect the salesperson to turn that limited evidence into broad customer demand. But one trial is a starting point, not a market-development program.

Customers want to see evidence that reflects their local crops and conditions. Building that confidence takes time and continued investment. It may involve additional trials with local partners, capturing customer experiences, hands-on technical support, and content that makes the information relevant to the people the company is trying to reach.

The company needs to plan and budget for that work, understanding it is an investment in their growth in the market.

5. They try to sell to the entire market

I have said it a million times: when you try to be everything to everyone, you end up being nothing to anyone.

Companies are better served by understanding where they can compete, which customers and channels matter most, and what specific regions or segments they should prioritize first.

When I ask, “Who are you targeting?” and hear, “Every corn grower,” I know there is trouble ahead.

A broad customer category is not a target market, and will spread everything too thin. Choosing a clear starting point allows the company to concentrate its effort, learn what works, and build traction before expanding.

Treat Market Entry as a Project

Entering a new market is a project in its own right. It cannot be handed entirely to one salesperson, copied from another country, or built around the idea that every potential customer is a target.

Companies need to understand where they can compete, which customers and channels matter, how the product fits, and what local proof will be required. They also need to be realistic about the investment and support needed to gain traction. If there is no one internally to lead that work, hiring an outside partner can be a great option.

The goal is not to have every answer before entering the market. It is to give the people responsible for delivering growth a credible place to start.