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Manitoba to Mexico: Building a Second Market – A Practical Session for Manitoba Exporters

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Mexico continues to stand out as an important growth market for Manitoba exporters. As Canada’s third-largest trading partner, it received a record $702 million in Manitoba exports in 2025, up 20.2% from the previous year. That momentum continued into the first half of 2026, when Manitoba exports to Mexico grew 3.0% even as the province’s total exports declined 11.3%.

Those numbers point to real opportunity, but accessing the market successfully requires more than identifying demand. Exporters still need to navigate importer requirements, documentation, labelling, certifications, logistics, and other market-entry considerations before a first shipment can move smoothly.

This webinar provides Manitoba businesses with a practical roadmap for understanding those requirements, sequencing the work, and preparing for market entry with greater confidence. Drawing on current funding opportunities, logistics considerations, and a real Manitoba business case, the session focuses on what it actually takes to get export-ready for Mexico.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

  • Identify where their business currently sits on the path to the Mexican market and what needs to happen before moving to the next stage
  • Understand available funding and support programs, including how to approach the application process strategically
  • Work through the key operational, regulatory, and market-entry requirements that should be addressed before a first shipment
  • Apply a practical 90-day sequence for organizing export-readiness activities in the right order
  • Assess when air cargo may—or may not—make sense for their product and business model
  • Learn from the real-world experience of a Manitoba company that has navigated the process firsthand

Date: Tuesday, November 3rd, 2026
Time: 12 – 1:00pm
Location: Virtual
Cost: Discounted to $0.00 thanks to our funders

Register here

Presented by

Jose Manuel Castellon Alvarez's headshot

Jose Manuel Castellon Alvarez, MBA

Founder & CEO, IB7 Consulting Ltd.

Jose Manuel Castellon Alvarez is Founder and CEO of IB7 Consulting Ltd., a Winnipeg-based FDI intelligence and market-entry advisory firm focused on the CUSMA corridor between Canada, the United States and Mexico. Born in Mexicali, he built his career across steel, electronics manufacturing, aerospace and IT service delivery, including roles at Honeywell Aerospace, Boeing Canada and CentrePort Canada. He holds an MBA from Audencia Business School in France, works in Spanish, English and French, and is Lead Instructor at Red River College Polytechnic.

Alexandro Ramos San Millan's headshot

Alexandro Ramos San Millan

Partner, Ramos San Millan Attorneys (Mexico City)

Alexandro Ramos San Millan is a partner at Ramos San Millan Attorneys, a Mexico City boutique law firm specializing in corporate and commercial law, tax and administrative litigation, and regulatory affairs. As IB7’s strategic legal partner in Mexico, he advises foreign companies on entity formation, corporate structure and tax residency, statutory registrations including the Padrón de Importadores, and federal incentive filings, helping Canadian businesses establish a compliant footing in Mexico before their first shipment.

Leonel Gerardo Vargas Ponce's headshot

Leonel Gerardo Vargas Ponce

Sales Manager, ICASA Integradores de Carga Aérea, S.A. de C.V. (Mexico City)

Leonel Gerardo Vargas Ponce is Sales Manager at ICASA Integradores de Carga Aérea, a Mexican air cargo integrator with more than two decades of experience in national and international air freight and logistics. A graduate of Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, he joined ICASA in 2015 and rose from national sales coordination to commercial leadership. He works with exporters on the Canada–Mexico air cargo corridor, from routing and rates through customs to final delivery.

Peter Fehr's headshot

Peter Fehr

Founder & Owner, Gourmet Inspirations (Manitoba)

Peter Fehr is the founder and owner of Gourmet Inspirations, a Manitoba maker of premium sauces, rubs and coffee syrups crafted with wholesome Canadian ingredients. Raised on a family farm in southern Manitoba and trained as a chef at a northern fly-in lodge, he built a brand featured at the 2017 Academy Awards gifting suite and named among Canada’s top food companies in 2018. He now leads the company’s expansion into Mexico and manages MOLINA distribution in Canada.

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