Celebrating Independence
From 25 to 27 March 2012 at the Birmingham NEC, Food & Drink Expo will be offering suppliers from the UK and around the world an opportunity to showcase products and services to key buyers and decision makers involved in the grocery, wholesale, foodservice, manufacturing and specialty retail sectors.
This year’s show promises to be the best yet and will act as a spring board for a number of new gourmet products entering the market. Visitors will, for example, be able to sample exciting new flavours from a new Bloody Mary ketchup from Stokes Sauces (stand E178), an innovative Drinking Fudge Gift set from Fudge Kitchen (stand F192), hand roasted, seasonally sourced coffees from Littles Ltd (stand F120d), as well as high quality tea cubes that can be used three times from Lu Lin Teas (stand D188).
Another newcomer in the drinks sector is Chi (stand K162), who will be launching their 100% pure and natural coconut water to the growing category. Fat-free, with no added sugar and a high electrolyte content, Chi is already developing a cult following amongst celebs, athletes, yoga practitioners and slimmers alike.
Chi is the brainchild of Jonathan Newman, who commented: “With big players like Vita Coco, Zico and One accounting for most of the US market share, Chi is already making inroads into the market. I feel confident we have a unique proposition. We excel in taste, packaging and nutritional content. Our 330ml is currently the only Tetra Pak on the market to feature the new Dreamcap opening. People want premium quality at an affordable price and that’s what Chi offers.”
Farm Shop & Deli, one of the most exciting components of this year’s show, will also be introducing a whole host of exciting sartisan products. For suppliers on the look out for something really unusual, Trotters Independent Condiments (stand B126), should be an absolute must-visit. Trotters specialises in sourcing, developing and producing products that are unusual or unobtainable in the British market. Products to look out for include their famous Mojito Jelly, which is part of a cocktail condiments range, as well as newly launched products such as Uncle Allan’s Chutney, a delicious uncooked chutney, soaked in malt vinegar for several days prior to jarring before it matures for a further month before selling.
As the trend for exotic continues, one of the show’s most exciting exhibitors comes in the form of Ogilvy’s (stand D168) who will be showcasing their diverse and distinctive range of honeys. New Zealand Rainforest Honey, for example, is a rich aromatic honey reflecting the abundance of wild herbs, flowers and trees from the rainforests of New Zealand’s South Island. Zambezi Plains, another new product that will be making an appearance at the show, is a rare 100% organic honey from the remote Miombo forests located in Zambia. The indigenous people use wild crafting traditions dating back 500 years to produce this tropical blossom honey rich in bioflavanoids.
Shamus Ogilvy, Ogilvy’s founder, regularly travels the world to find new single flower nectar styles (monofloral), or honeys from bees that feed on flowers local to their hive (polyfloral). He comments: “Our mission is to create a buzz about fine honeys of the world. We want people to try out new and exciting varieties and to refine their taste for pure, unblended honeys in the same way that they have for fine chocolate, coffee and wine.”
In addition to being exposed to a wealth of exciting new products and suppliers, visitors will also be able to get expert advice at the live feature areas of both shows, which are all geared towards improving retailers’ bottom line. The Brainfood Factory in Food & Drink Expo will host live culinary demonstrations, head-to-head interviews and hot-topic debates from respected industry figures, such as Tristram Stuart, who will talk about his crusade to end the scandal of food waste.
Farm Shop & Deli’s live events theatre, Farm Shop & Deli Live, will focus on product testing and tasting, key skills advice – merchandising, buyer/supplier negotiation, and emerging trends. Invaluable advice will be available from a panel of food experts in the ‘Dragons Pantry’. Guest speakers will also be on hand in the form of top chef, forager and wild food expert, Mark Lloyd, who will be leading a foraging cooking demo.
For the latest information on any of the suppliers or the Live Session speakers, visit the website http://www.foodanddrinkexpo.co.uk/ or follow Food & Drink Expo on Twitter https://twitter.com/fooddrinkexpo.
Selling Loose Olives
No good deli would be complete without a loose olive counter.
» read full article
Sign up to guarantee your copy today!
Share