UK Food Wholesaler Boosts Global Trade with Real-Time Exchange Rates from Convera

A UK-based food wholesale business specialising in importing ambient grocery products from Asia has streamlined its international payments and protected its margins by switching to Convera’s real-time FX platform.

Sunrise Products, which primarily works with suppliers in Sri Lanka and has plans to expand into India and Thailand, launched in January 2025 and has already built a loyal customer base in the independent retail and cash-and-carry sectors, completing eight successful consignments to date.

Starting a new import business in a volatile FX environment posed significant challenges, as Nalin Perera, Founder and General Manager of Sunrise Products, explains:

“I knew from experience managing a different importer that having a reliable way to manage international payments, secure competitive exchange rates, and minimise FX risk was critical to getting Sunrise Products up and running smoothly.”

Sunrise Products makes monthly USD payments to suppliers while being paid by customers in GBP, meaning even small swings in the currency pair can squeeze margins for a small business trying to offer competitive pricing.

“FX is a crucial factor for importation, and I needed the best rates,” says Nalin. “However, I also needed a payments system that didn’t slow me down. I quickly realised that traditional FX providers required extensive documentation and lacked the flexibility and support that a small business like mine needs.”

Having worked with Convera in a previous role, Nalin turned to the payments provider for his new venture, drawn by its streamlined onboarding process and minimal documentation requirements. Convera also gave him access to a user-friendly FX portal, allowing him to monitor exchange rates in real time and initiate spot transactions without contacting multiple brokers.

“The FX portal saves me a lot of time, and I know that if I ever need assistance the team is just a phone call away and always happy to help,” Nalin adds.

The ability to monitor exchange rates in real time has been a game changer:

“It’s now much more efficient to manage my payments. Every day I log into Convera’s EDGE platform for access to real-time rates and if the spot market looks good, I pay my suppliers. It’s that simple,” Nalin says.

Looking ahead, Nalin is already exploring forward contracts with Convera to lock in a GBP exchange rate in advance as the business grows and his currency risk management needs become more complex.

“Convera has definitely simplified how I manage FX and payments, and I would not hesitate to recommend their service to other small businesses,” Nalin concludes.

Convera is a global leader in commercial payments and foreign exchange, helping businesses of all sizes make cross-border payments simply and securely.