Speciality & Fine Food Fair 2011

Running a small or medium sized food business is a rewarding experience but it can feel like a minefield at times, and at this year’s Speciality & Fine Food Fair, help is at hand. The Small Business Forum will be making a return, with experts sharing their knowledge and expertise through a series of free advice seminars that will help SMEs to maximise their business potential while exploring a range of topical subjects.

Jane Milton, leading food industry expert and founder of Not Just Food will be opening the forum sessions with advice on how to grow a great food business. Jane, who has 26 years’ commercial experience within the food and food marketing industries, has put together this year’s programme to bring you some of the industry’s top tips to success. The programme will enable businesses to maximise a range of opportunities within the food and drink sector, from ingredient sourcing through to marketing and staffing. The Forum will help visitors to understand the importance of everyone in the food chain and how they can optimise available opportunities by working together.

In addition to the Small Business Forum, the Fair will also be hosting a Business Mentoring Centre where industry experts will be on hand to offer free advice in a 1-to-1 setting. The private 30-minute sessions will provide an opportunity for visitors to tackle issues such as marketing, HR, finance, merchandising, supplier relationships and logistics.  Morning sessions will be available to pre-book and afternoon sessions can be booked on the day.

Some of the key speakers at this year’s Forum include Keren Lerner from Top Left Design and Alicia Cowan from Absolutely Digital, who will be discussing the advantages of online business presence and social media. Branding is essential for every retailer and Russell Holmes from Ico Design will be discussing how to develop a successful food brand. On the final day, Andy Goss, from Hungry For Success will deliver a seminar on how to simplify your supply chain and increase revenue, whilst the timetable will close with Christina Ajayi from FareShare, talking about doing the right thing with waste.

Soraya Gadelrab, Event Manager of Speciality & Fine Food Fair 2011, said: “The artisan food and drink market is renowned for its small business leaders. The Small Business Forum will allow visitors to gain expert insight into how to overcome challenges by learning from the people who have been there themselves. The Fair will enable these visitors to learn from the experts and see how their own business can grow. We have some inspirational speakers at this year’s event and I am positive that they will enthuse confidence into today’s market.”

The doors will be open at Olympia from Sunday 4th September to Tuesday 6th September. Register for your free visitor badge and learn more about the Fair at www.specialityandfinefoodfairs.co.uk. To keep up to date on Fair content and to join in debates on the industry please follow www.twitter.com/Speciality_Food or join us on LinkedIn www.specialityandfinefoodfairs.co.uk/linkedin