Italian SME gains global platform with Alibaba.com

“We went for a physical exposition of our products in London and Italy but the returns were very low. But thanks to our bank, we got introduced to what Alibaba.com could do for us – the ability to present our product, not just in one or two countries, but in most of them at once.”

- Gabriele Zecca, Founder, GV SRL

Story

Gabriele Zecca started GV SRL in 2017. Coming from an accomplished career in the food and beverage industry, Gabriele had worked previously in corporate sales and marketing. He rose to the position of MD before starting his own food export company. With over two decades in the industry, Gabriele knew how to successfully run a firm, find customers, and meet their needs.

But after a year in business and numerous meetings in UK and Italy seeking customers, the company’s sales were still slow while costs had begun to climb. Gabriele knew he had to find a solution – one that would help the company find quality customers worldwide without the added costs of multi-country operation. And that’s when they found Alibaba.com.

Solution

GV SRL got introduced to Alibaba.com in 2018 through a banking partner of the company. On Alibaba.com, the company found a platform that could help them present their products in multiple countries at once. Through the B2B marketplace, they could find buyers in many countries and sell to them, practically on automatic.

While Gabriele didn’t start out with tons of digital selling knowledge, he learned to use digital marketing tools with the help of Alibaba.com. By attending numerous seller training on the platform, he and his company gained the know-how to use tools such as keyword analysis to track performance and monitor competitors.

Gabriele is particularly pleased with how Alibaba.com lets him meet quality buyers, learn about them, and identify how best to serve them. He believes this is one of the key advantages of selling online. He can use tools like Alibaba.com Keyword Advertising to target specific customers and present the exact food and beverage products that meet their needs.

Success

GV SRL has grown immensely from where it began. The company has gone from an inventory with 17 items to one with over 900 products in 60 categories. GV SRL has built an enviable name for itself in the food and beverage industry, known for high-quality ambient, fresh, and frozen products from tasty cheeses and pasta to sumptuous wines and chocolate.

GV SRL boasts a five-star rating on Alibaba.com, making them a magnet for international buyers. The company attends to over 30 RFQs a month and 95% of its annual revenue now comes from Alibaba.com. With customers across Europe, Ghana, China, Israel, and Singapore, GV SRL is forging a truly international brand, and Alibaba.com has become a key partner in their journey.

Gabriele believes that B2B e-commerce is still young, despite the immense recent growth in the industry. He sees a bright future for digital B2B selling in Europe, and he’s delighted to see how his company can take advantage through Alibaba.com.

To new sellers, he says “Alibaba.com provides the opportunity to sell in 190 countries and territories – make the most of it.” But that’s not all, “spending time in training to use the tools and features on Alibaba.com can unlock extraordinary benefits for your business.” And finally, “give critical thought to who you put in charge of your Alibaba.com account – it can create a difference for you.”