Contacts made at the 2008 Focused Trade Mission to Northern Mexico (sponsored by Food Export-Midwest) resulted in a three percent increase in snack export sales to Mexico for SunOpta of Minnetonka, Minnesota in the 5th Congressional District. During the Mission, the company had the opportunity to meet with targeted foreign buyers one-on-one to learn more about their product's export potential, and build relationships.

According to sales staff for Dakota Gourmet, a division of SunOpta Grains and Foods Group, "The most beneficial element of the Trade Mission was the one-on-one buyer meetings, which introduced us to a sales region in Mexico that we had not fully penetrated yet." To accommodate this new sale, as well as other new sales contracts, SunOpta has expanded their operation, adding five additional employees.

SunOpta specializes in organic, non-GMO, and IP grains, foods, ingredients, and processing services.

Food Export-Midwest and Food Export-Northeast are private, non-profit associations of Midwestern and Northeastern state agricultural promotion agencies that use federal, state, and industry resources to promote the export of Midwestern and Northeastern food and agricultural products. Food Export-Midwest and Food Export-Northeast administer many services through Market Access Program (MAP) funding from the USDA, Foreign Agricultural Service.