About Epicure
Epicure specialises in all types of international commercial representation development, training and consultancy. Since its creation in 2003, it has been assisting and providing support to companies seeking to move to, or grow, in foreign markets around the world (including in European markets and Belgium).
Epicure assists you in a number of ways:
- As an explorer: purchasing, sales, logistics, miscellaneous services…we look for and find what you need.
- As a coordinator and centraliser: we bring together and coordinate the companies and experts of the various fields needed to complete your project.
Epicure shares its knowledge of, and expertise in, specific and complex markets. Developing these markets yourself requires a significant human resources and financial investment. There is also the potential for error resulting from a lack of knowledge about local rules and cultures.
Training based on personal involvement
Epicure’s approach to training ensures that students take an active part in research while monitored by experts in the subject. The approach enables better understanding and memorisation than traditional teaching methods.
Companies call on our consulting services for two reasons:
- They don’t have time to handle the issue.
- Their employees don’t have expertise in the subject.
Our approach enables employees to tackle the subject matter with an open mind and gradually master a new professional environment and/or change.
A graduate in marketing, public relations and international trade, Maxim Coets joined Epicure in 2009. He travelled to Chad for three months to prospect and network. He worked on the set-up of a pilot cattle farm and artificial insemination project and a project to pump and purify drinking water in rural areas of Chad (10 villages of about 25,000 people).
He then went to N’Djamena to carry out a pre-feasibility study for the construction of a 20MW photovoltaic station.
His experience and his passion for international business led him to take over the Saudi and Gulf market business, notably in the medical field, while continuing to develop the African market.
Patrick Coets has degrees in economics from the universities of Utrecht and Cambridge. He holds an MBA from the University of California at Irvine and a post-graduate degree in International Business from the Ecole de Commerce Solvay. He has been an independent international consultant for nearly 40 years. He is a director of several companies and is also a lecturer and thesis advisor at several Belgian and foreign universities and training centres.
Epicure brings you the world
When a company is growing and wants to expand its business to other countries, it often doesn’t have the resources and experience needed to implement the required organisation.
Epicure’s commercial representation activity meets this organisational need. Thanks to its well-established network of contacts, it enables companies to position themselves in new and profitable business areas.
Epicure can provide companies with Marketing, Financial, R&D, Logistics, Insurance, Sales Administration, and other services.
How does it work?
The parties first sign a contract. Epicure then carries out a market study and benchmarking on site. Next, the company negotiates sales and payment terms and conditions ensuring that invoices are paid on time.
Epicure also approaches the Transport and Supply Chain markets to implement effective logistics at the best possible quality/price ratio.
Last, Epicure assesses the insurance – Transport, Civil Liability, etc. – required for the products and/or investments in compliance with the positioning and philosophy of the products represented, including the search for capital. Draft contracts with brokers are also drawn up.
At what price?
Epicure works free initially and its remuneration is risk-free for you: you only pay commission on completed business.
International representation
The gulf and the Middle-East direction profitable markets
This Epicure department is based in Saudi Arabia. It specialises in representing Belgian, European and global interests in this country and in other countries of the Gulf and Middle-East. Epicure Middle-East focuses on:- The biomedical and medical sectors
- Agri-foods
- Engineering
- Luxury products
- Security
- IT
- Academic (international business) and clinical training
- Agriculture & Breeding
- Renewable energies
- Drinking water
- Etc.
- Training and consultancy
- Technology transfer and investments in the region for local production and export. All fully compliant with local cultural traditions.
- …
Africa: a booming continent
In Africa, as elsewhere, Epicure's teams are ardent ambassadors for Belgian, European and global interests. Epicure Africa focuses on the following:- The biomedical and medical sectors
- Agri-foods
- Engineering
- Luxury products
- Security
- IT
- Academic (international business) and clinical training
- Agriculture & Breeding
- Renewable energies
- Drinking water
- Etc.
- Training and consultancy
- Technology transfer and regional investments to promote local production and exports. All fully compliant with local cultural traditions.
- Russia and surrounding countries
- The United States and Canada
- Asia, primarily China, Thailand and Vietnam.
Consultancy
Spread your know-how
Many small and medium size companies provide excellent products and services, but are not very well known in Belgium or other countries. To help them improve their name recognition, Epicure acts as their:- Marketing Department
- Sales Department
- Financial Department
- Back-office.
International trade
- Business plan development
- Analysis and recommendations about the market(s) targeted in terms of competition, demand, pricing policies, benchmarking, etc.
- Definition of INCOTERMS procedures – INternational COmmercial TERMS. They determine the reciprocal obligations of seller and buyer within the framework of an international purchase/sale contract.
- Etc.
Finances
- Balance sheet analysis
- Negotiation of payment terms and conditions with partners and clients/suppliers
- Search for development capital for Import/Export operations
- Contacts with local and global financial organisations
- Currency hedging and risk analysis
- Etc.
Customs and duties
- Analysis, research and fulfilling of all product and market formalities
- AEO = AUTHORISED ECONOMIC OPERATOR
- Etc.
Insurance
- Analysis of the current portfolio
- Recommendations based on risks
- Negotiation of cover with different companies
- Self-insurance (acting as one’s own insurer by creating reserves to cover the risks of the operation)
- Etc.
Logistics
- Analysis, recommendations and partner search to provide the logistics for the operation (aeroplane, train, boat, road, piggyback, etc.) with or without added value (warehousing, crushing, repackaging, etc.).
- Implementation of a Supply Chain or Logistics Chain, i.e., all of the links required for the manufacturing and marketing of a product: purchasing, supply, inventory management, transportation, handling, IT…The logistics chain is global, that is, within the company, but also via all of the suppliers and their subcontractors
- Transportation chartering (aeroplane, ship, etc.) by journey or over time
- Etc.
Countertrade market
- Assistance and support for SMEs involved in exports with offsetting exchanges (exchange of goods or services paid, in full or in part, with other goods or services)
- Explanation of the rules and possibilities for countertrade exchanges
- Definition of a clear strategy, a detailed financial plan and a precise assessment of the costs and risks for the company
- Identification of the right contacts
- Preparation of a safe contract that protects the company
- Etc.
Mergers & acquisitions
- Analysis and implementation of a merger/acquisition to penetrate a market and/or increase market share
- Etc.
Quality standards
- Analysis, recommendations, implementation and monitoring of the complete process to obtain quality certifications (e.g. ISO standards)
- Etc.
Training
Training you’ll remember
It’s scientifically proven. Most students who graduate from traditional schools in which the teacher talks and the students listen forget about 70% of the material.
Our approach focuses on case studies and project-based teaching. Every student plays a part in their own training and does their own research, monitored by instructors who are experts in the subject.
Tailored service is our strong point. And yours.
You can’t be a generalist to be truly effective in national and international business. That’s why Epicure is involved in creating Training Centres based on discussions with investors.
Epicure takes care of:
- Managing the centres
- Creating the programmes
- Finding the right training courses and presentation
- Ensuring student/intern comfort.
Training sessions are tailored to your business sector, needs, objectives and constraints.
In addition, Epicure also implements partnership projects and joint degrees with Belgian and foreign universities/post-secondary schools.
Contact
Epicure & CO SA.
Operations
EPICURE & CO S.A.
Av. de la Croix Rouge, 41/2
1020 Brussels
Head Office
EPICURE & CO S.A.
Av. de Criel, 5A
5370 Havelange (Belgium)
Patrick Coets:
+32.475.79.01.27
Maxim Coets:
+32.496.95.68.88
Questions:
info@epicureandco.com
