Founder Story: The founders behind B2B imports from Asia
Why Eastern Essence Trading?
Eastern Essence Trading did not emerge from a business idea but from an observation: high-quality products from Asia rarely found the context in Switzerland that they deserve – wedged between lifestyle imports and tourist souvenirs.
Benjamin Füllemann and Gilles Baillod both saw the potential – and decided to approach it in a structured way.
Together they travel regularly to breweries, distilleries and manufactories in Japan, Taiwan and Korea. People who want to feel the pulse of a place before deciding on a product.
A shared vision
EET stands for a form of trade that neither simplifies products nor decorates cultures. We want Asian producers to see the Swiss market as a genuine option – secure, structured, respectful. And we want Swiss partners to know what lies behind their products.
Benjamin Füllemann
Sourcing, quality, producer dialogue
Benjamin is a hospitality professional and sommelier with broad experience in Swiss hospitality and sound knowledge of East Asian food and drink culture. At EET he is responsible for sourcing, quality assessment and direct dialogue with producers.
Gilles Baillod
Market presence, growth, building the company