From Indirect Distribution to Direct Trade: Collagen Jelly Expands into the UAE Market

H’s flagship product (photo kiosk)

H Company, established in June 2016, specializes in the research and development of functional ingredients derived from natural raw materials. The company also markets a variety of health functional foods. H Company has established a stable raw material supply system by partnering with domestic agricultural producers through contract farming.

Utilizing its proprietary microbial fermentation and extraction technologies, H Company has developed and launched a diverse range of products, including fermented black ginseng, collagen jelly, and arginine supplements. Notably, its collagen jelly has shown strong global competitiveness, achieving high rankings on Amazon.

In August 2025, an inquiry was received from a buyer in the United Arab Emirates interested in sourcing collagen jelly products. After a comprehensive review of factors such as product competitiveness, export experience, and sales performance on global B2B platforms, the matching manager identified H Company as the most suitable partner and proceeded with the business matching process.

During an internal review of the buyer following the matching process, it was discovered that the buyer had been purchasing H Company’s products through the company’s U.S. distribution partner without prior consultation and reselling them on Amazon UAE. To establish a more stable and profitable trading structure, H Company sought to transition from the existing indirect distribution channel to direct business negotiations.

In response to the situation, the Korean company sought additional support from the matching manager, who proactively tried to reach out to the buyer through various channels. The manager obtained email addresses and contact information for the buyer’s purchasing and sales departments, maintaining continuous communication through several methods, including inquiries via the company’s official website and WhatsApp. As a result, direct communication with the buyer’s internal representatives was successfully established approximately two months after the initial matching.

Since the buyer already had experience reselling the product, the consultation proceeded smoothly without the need for a separate product verification process. After negotiating quantity and pricing, an initial export contract was finalized, successfully shifting the business structure from indirect distribution to direct trade.

The Vice President of H Company expressed sincere appreciation to the matching manager for providing prompt and systematic support throughout the export process. Even after the first export deal, the matching manager has continued to assist the company by identifying additional buyers and offering follow-up support. Currently, samples have been sent to two buyers in Israel and the United Kingdom as part of ongoing efforts to expand H Company’s global market presence.