Regional and Speciality Food and Drink Market boosts visitor numbers

Latest statistics have revealed that a monthly speciality food and drink market brings up to 10 per cent more visitors to the heart of a city.

Regional food organisation East Midlands Fine Foods has been running a regular Regional and Speciality Food and Drink Market in the Old Market Square, Nottingham, since April 2007 in conjunction with Nottingham City Council.

The market is the chance for producers and suppliers of food and drink from across the East Midlands to sell direct to the public, and has built up a loyal following of customers.

Now statistics have revealed that footfall to the Old Market Square goes up by between 7 and 10 per cent on market days, representing an extra 3,000 to 5,000 visitors to the city centre.

“The positive relationship between East Midlands Fine Foods and Nottingham City Council has helped to create a vibrant and popular monthly market which attracts visitors to the heart of the city,” said Councillor David Trimble, portfolio holder for leisure, culture and customers at Nottingham City Council.

“The Regional and Speciality Food and Drink Market has been a great asset to Nottingham, and very much welcomed by shoppers, which is reflected in our latest statistics on visitor numbers to the Old Market Square.”

As well as the Nottingham market, which takes place on the third Friday and Saturday of each month, East Midlands Fine Foods organises a number of speciality food and drink markets across the region at specific events, such as the Burghley Game and Country Fair near Stamford.

The Nottingham event features around 30 stalls from Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland selling a wide variety of produce, including meat, cheese, condiments, cakes, fruit and vegetables, ethnic snacks and other items.

“Speciality food markets continue to be very popular with shoppers,” said Briony Clarke, operations manager of business support organisation The Food and Drink Forum, which runs East Midlands Fine Foods.

“Our members and associated stall holders produce some of the finest regional and speciality food and drink from across the East Midlands, and we’re delighted to see that this monthly event in Nottingham city centre is such a draw for the public.

“As one of the largest food and drink organisations in the region, we have links to a wide variety of food and drink producers, so between us and the council we’ve been able to run a successful regular event.”

East Midlands Fine Foods provides a range of focused support and assistance to small and medium-sized speciality food and drink producers in the region, including regular exhibiting and selling opportunities. It is based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham.

http://www.foodanddrinkforum.co.uk/

Grants available to help East Midlands food and drink firms recruit graduates

East Midlands food and drink firms planning to recruit graduates for permanent positions or placements are being urged to take advantage of grants available to help with their search for the right person.

The Food and Drink Forum has teamed up with East Midlands graduate recruitment organisation HotProspects on a two-year project to offer small and medium-sized food and drink companies grants towards the cost of recruiting a graduate, either for specific projects or for permanent placements.

Now it has been announced that grant funding for recruitment has been increased – making it the ideal time to get involved with the scheme.

Businesses signing up to the programme delivered by HotProspects will receive £1,000 towards the standard recruitment fees instead of the £500 that was previously offered, thanks to grant funding that has been made available in partnership from East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

“The programme provides support in the form of niche and technical search, graduate assessment centres and full service graduate recruitment to help businesses manage the recruitment process and find the best talent,” said Food and Drink Forum managing director Fiona Anderson.

“The food and drink sector is facing a skills shortage, but hiring a graduate can bring a number of benefits for a firm, such as introducing new skills to the business or giving a fresh perspective on something. Finding the right candidate can be time-consuming or difficult for a small or medium-sized business, so this project represents the perfect way for food and drink firms in the East Midlands to discover the pool of graduate talent that’s available.”

Graduates are available with a wide range of food and drink industry-relevant qualifications. One current example includes a graduate with an MSc in food technology and quality assurance from the University of Reading, who previously gained a first class Bachelor of Technology in bio-technology from a top engineering university. Fluent in three languages and with expertise in a range of techniques, including using nutritional software, conducting taste panels and sensory analysis, the graduate has good understanding of British Retail Consortium and EU/UK food regulations.

HotProspects programme director Iain McCracken said: “This grant-funded programme aims to support businesses and graduates in the region at a very challenging time in the employment landscape.

“The programme operates to help businesses and graduates connect on terms beneficial to each – brokering contracts that place graduates within organisations with schemes agreed from 2 weeks to 12 months and longer. The benefits of such a programme are clear – graduates gain valuable work experience that helps them connect with the market and businesses can access a skills resource that can make them better placed to emerge from the recession in a competitive position.

“We are finding that most strategically minded organisations view the current economic situation as an opportunity ... to acquire the most talented individuals in their field. Forecasts indicate that many sectors still and will face a substantial shortfall in skill sets.

“Organisations that are far sighted will use this time, when many are not operating at full capacity, to invest in their staff and development programmes so that they are in the strongest position possible when we emerge from recession.

“The programme offers a low risk, low cost, option for businesses to trial the benefits of employing graduates and the initial response has been wholly positive. Companies see the advantages of a scheme that operates with such flexibility and that allows them to engage with the graduate pool in a time and cost efficient way.”

The Food and Drink Forum is based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham, and is a membership organisation that offers support to businesses working in the food and drink sector in Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland.

East Midlands food and drink businesses interested in finding out more about the graduate recruitment scheme should contact The Food and Drink Forum on 0115 9758810.

New Caribbean Calypso Coffee launched by Cherizena for summer

Coffee specialist Cherizena is launching a new Caribbean Calypso flavoured coffee in May to bring a taste of summer to its range.

The new flavour has been designed to complement Cherizena’s current selection of premium, speciality and flavoured coffees.

Available directly to customers in a range of different pack sizes from www.cherizena.co.uk, the Caribbean Calypso flavoured coffee has been created from Columbian coffee beans infused with the flavours of banana, rum and coconut.

The new variety is available as beans or ground, and as decaffeinated or regular coffee.

Just like all of the coffees in Cherizena’s flavoured range, it contains no syrups and no coatings.

Cherizena offers up to 30 single origin coffees and blends, and 20 different flavoured varieties to both consumer and trade customers.

It is a leading UK specialist producer of coffee, and sources premium, rare and speciality coffees, as well as creating its own range of superb flavoured coffees. Its coffees are blended, flavoured and packed at the firm’s headquarters at Wartnaby, near Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire.

“The Caribbean Calypso flavoured coffee is a lively coffee, and is a perfect addition to our range,” said Cherizena’s Kate Jones.

Caribbean Calypso Coffee is priced £3 for a 125g pack from http://www.cherizena.co.uk/

Coffee specialist Cherizena stages a 24-hour Spring clearout from 11am on February 3rd 2010

Coffee specialist and Perfect 10 PR client Cherizena is having a Spring clearout.

From 11am today (February 3rd) and for 24 hours only, Cherizena is offering selected coffees at half price.

Stocks are limited. Once it's gone, it's gone!

Visit http://www.cherizena.co.uk/ from 11am today and grab a bargain!