Food and Drink Forum flies the flag for regional food at Expo 2012

Business support organisation The Food and Drink Forum is flying the flag for regional producers next month at one of the UK’s largest food and drink trade shows.

The Forum, which operates across Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland, is offering producers the chance to showcase their products at the event under the East Midlands banner.

Food and Drink Expo, which is one of the most popular trade events for the food and drink sector, takes place from Sunday March 25th to Tuesday March 27th at the NEC Birmingham.

This year, Expo boasts a new farm shop and deli area which will highlight artisan food products. It’s there that The Forum will help to promote some of the East Midlands’ best producers.

“It can be challenging for producers to get their products in front of buyers and store owners, so this is an ideal opportunity to do so,” said Food and Drink Forum managing director Fiona Anderson. “For a small administration fee, The Forum will promote ambient, pre-packed products from the region and give out samples and marketing material.

“In 2010 Food and Drink Expo attracted over 26,000 buyers from the grocery, foodservice, wholesale, speciality retail and manufacturing sectors so it’s a perfect platform for promotion.”

The Food and Drink Forum, which was launched in 1998 as a not-for-profit membership-led organisation, stimulates and supports the sustainable growth and development of the food and drink industry in the East Midlands.

It is based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham, and operates across the East Midlands and beyond.

For details about eligibility for the Expo 2012 opportunity contact The Food and Drink Forum on 0115 9758810. Deadline for applications is March 1st 2012.

www.foodanddrinkforum.co.uk

Issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Food and Drink iNet event aims to capture childhood creativity

Chris Arnold

Food and drink firms in the East Midlands are being encouraged to re-ignite the creativity of children as a way of developing their businesses.

The Food and Drink Innovation Network (iNet) is staging an iThrive event designed to turn the spotlight on ways of exploiting creative potential within companies and their workforces.

Guest speaker is former creative director of one of the UK’s top advertising agencies Saatchi & Saatchi, Chris Arnold, who is an expert in creativity and its application to business. He will be encouraging delegates to re-ignite the imagination and ingenuity they experienced as children.

The iThrive event also marks the launch of a new programme of intensive business support being offered by the Food and Drink iNet to the region’s food and drink businesses.

A number of food and drink firms who attend the event will be chosen to receive the support, which features four one-day workshops guiding businesses through the new product development process - from the generation of an idea to product launch.

The iThrive new product development event and the programme of NPD support that it launches have been formulated by the Food and Drink iNet to ensure that innovation, in the form of new product development, thrives within the East Midlands food and drink sector.

“The iThrive event is an excellent opportunity for food and drink firms from across the region to focus on the importance of sparking and harnessing creativity,” said Food and Drink iNet director Andrew Butterwick. “We are delighted that Chris Arnold, who is an acknowledged expert in this subject, will be our guest speaker.

“The event also marks the start of our exclusive new programme to offer new product development support to up to ten food and drink businesses in the East Midlands. This is the perfect opportunity for companies in the sector who are interested in NPD to find out more.”

The New Product Development – Converting Creativity into Cash event is free to attend and takes place at the Pride Park Stadium, Derby, on October 12th from 8.30am to 12.30pm.

Food and drink firms from Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland are eligible to attend this free event but booking is essential to guarantee a place. Email enquiries@foodanddrinkforum.co.uk or call 0115 9758810 for more information.

Funded by East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Food and Drink iNet co-ordinates innovation support for businesses, universities and individuals working in the food and drink sector in the East Midlands. One of four regional iNets, it has developed an effective network to link academic and private sector expertise and knowledge with local food and drink business innovation needs.

The Food and Drink iNet also aims to build on the tradition of innovation in the food and drink industry in the region by helping to create opportunities to develop knowledge and skills, and to help research, develop and implement new products, markets, services and processes. It is managed by a consortium, led by the Food & Drink Forum and including Food Processing Faraday, Nottingham Trent University, the University of Lincoln, and the University of Nottingham. It is based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham, with advisors covering the East Midlands region.

For more information visit www.eminnovation.org.uk/food

Grant-funded graduate recruitment for the East Midlands food and drink sector evolves

East Midlands food and drink firms with hard-to-fill vacancies are being advised to explore a new technical recruitment opportunity.

Business support organisation The Food and Drink Forum has teamed up with graduate recruitment experts 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 HotProspects has launched a new technical recruitment arm to address the needs of those in the sector with a more technically demanding focus.

With some of the most important technical abilities being learned after university, HotProspects² specialises in finding those graduates with specific skills and up to five years industry experience. At the same time, HotProspects continues to focus on the retention of fresh graduates, providing grant funded graduate recruitment through till 2011.

HotProspects² project manager Elizabeth Andrzejewski-Wilson said: “Since the launch of HotProspects back in 2006, the brand and the team has evolved, and it soon became clear that our strength lay in our ability to source those technically focused graduates with niche skill sets.

“Specific or rare skills sets can be very hard to find, especially in the food and drink sector where skills shortages have long held back business growth. Hence, HotProspects² was born.”

The new service allows businesses to pick and choose the elements they require, from a targeted marketing campaign through to full service graduate recruitment.

“We have taken what we believe are some of the strongest elements of the original service and developed them for a targeted market, allowing us to ensure we are best placed to meet their needs. Our fees are still fixed and agreed at the start, based on time expended, not a percentage of salary,” said Elizabeth.

“The HotProspects service continues to provide small business in the food and drink sector with grant-funded graduate recruitment within the East Midlands, meaning the standard recruitment process can be accessed at no cost to the business. Whilst HotProspects² allows those with more complex requirements to access the support they need.”

Grant funding of £1,000 per business is available for a limited period, thanks to funding that has been made available in partnership from East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

This can be put towards the cost of the HotProspects² service, as well as being used for HotProspects’ graduate recruitment.

For more information, contact Gemma Baguley at The Food and Drink Forum on 0115 9758810.

Food and Drink iNet Innovation Awards 2010 launched

Last year's Innovation Champion Dr Fengge Gao, from Nottingham Trent University's School of Science and Technology, with Fiona Anderson, MD of award sponsors The Food and Drink Forum

The search for the most exciting developments in the East Midlands food and drink sector has begun with the launch of the 2010 Food and Drink innovation Network (iNet) Innovation Awards.

The awards aim to recognise and reward the use of innovation in the food and drink sector in the region as a way of boosting development, profitability or growth.

Being held for the third year, the awards will turn the spotlight on outstanding inventions or products, exceptional creativity, and innovative working practices in the industry across the East Midlands.

Last year’s Food and Drink iNet Innovation Champion was Nottingham Trent University’s School of Science and Technology who took the title for the development of an exciting new material for food and drink packaging.

Experts at the university successfully solved the problem of leaching in bottles and have taken the technology a step further to add antimicrobial properties which kill or lessen micro-organisms.

Dr Fengge Gao, from Nottingham Trent University’s School of Science and Technology, said: “The benefits of winning the award have gone far beyond our original expectations. The recognition for our technology opened the door to the outside world and the publicity reached every continent. We are now in a much better position with regards to technology transfer, attracting external funding and collaborating with leading industry institutions across the globe.”

Now the hunt has begun for this year’s worthy winners across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland.

Food and Drink iNet director Andrew Butterwick said: “The Food and Drink iNet Innovation Awards have become an important date on the calendar for recognizing and celebrating the innovation that is going on in the East Midlands’ food and drink sector. In previous years we have seen some truly exciting developments in the industry and I am delighted to announce that the awards will be held again this year.”

The Food and Drink iNet Innovation Awards will have a number of categories open to firms, organisations and individuals working across the food and drink sector, with entries being invited now. The Innovation Awards will culminate in a glittering ceremony in November, where the winners will be crowned in front of their industry peers.

Forms are available to download from the Food and Drink iNet website www.eminnovation.org.uk/food

Mike Carr, emda’s Executive Director of Business Services, said: “The food and drink industry is very important to the East Midlands and the iNet is playing a significant role in supporting innovation in this sector. These awards recognise and celebrate exciting innovations that have serious market potential, stimulating East Midlands firms and research centres to explore and develop new ideas, technologies and products.”

Funded by East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Food and Drink iNet co-ordinates innovation support for businesses, universities and individuals working in the food and drink sector in the East Midlands. One of four iNets, it strives to develop an effective network to encourage the collaboration of academic expertise and knowledge, and local food and drink business innovation needs.

It aims to build on the tradition of innovation in the food and drink industry in the region by helping to create opportunities to develop knowledge and skills, and to help research, develop and implement new products, markets, services and processes.

The Food and Drink iNet is managed by a consortium, led by the Food & Drink Forum and including Food Processing Faraday, Nottingham Trent University, the University of Lincoln, and the University of Nottingham. It is based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham, with advisors covering the East Midlands region.

For more information visit www.eminnovation.org.uk/food

Nottingham bread manufacturer Butt Foods launches new sub roll range after support from the Food and Drink iNet

A Nottingham bread manufacturer celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2010 has launched a new range of products after receiving support from the Food and Drink iNet.


Butt Foods Ltd received support worth £3,800 from the iNet to develop five flavours in its new Big Softy sub roll range. This also enabled the firm to develop interactive marketing materials to support the sale of the Big Softy sub rolls into the food service, sandwich manufacturer, and retail markets.

The range has been such a success that the firm is poised to launch Big Softy sub rolls in sliced versions at London contemporary food trade exhibition Lunch! 2010 at the end of September.

“The Big Softy sub rolls have been a great success from day one of their launch – our sales have shown 50% quarter on quarter growth,” said Butt Foods sales and marketing director David Williams.

“As bakery innovators, we are always looking to lead the way and be up there with any trend, and there is currently a huge demand from universities, colleges, hospitals, leisure centres, cafés and other similar outlets for sub rolls.

“The Food and Drink iNet support helped us to develop five flavours of the Big Softy and also gave us assistance with interactive marketing, which means we can add downloadable recipes and information to our website that will give our customers ideas about how they can use the sub rolls. The Food and Drink iNet has been a big help to us as we open the latest chapter in the life of Butt Foods, which is this year marking its 20th anniversary.”

Butt Foods, which is based in Nottingham, received £3,800 worth of Innovation, Advice and Guidance support from the iNet. The company matched this support with its own investment.

The iNet helps food and drink firms engage expertise from academia, research institutions and specialist business advice for innovation projects to develop new ideas, new products, new processes and to help companies grow. 50% of the equivalent cash value of the support must be contributed by the company.

Funded by East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Food and Drink iNet co-ordinates innovation support for businesses, universities and individuals working in the food and drink sector in the East Midlands. One of four iNets, it strives to develop an effective network to encourage the collaboration of academic expertise and knowledge, and local food and drink business innovation needs.

It aims to build on the tradition of innovation in the food and drink industry in the region by helping to create opportunities to develop knowledge and skills, and to help research, develop and implement new products, markets, services and processes.

The Food and Drink iNet is managed by a consortium, led by the Food & Drink Forum and including Food Processing Faraday, Nottingham Trent University, the University of Lincoln, and the University of Nottingham. It is based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham, with advisors covering the East Midlands region.

For more information visit www.eminnovation.org.uk/food

Founded in 1990 by Mazhar Butt, Butt Foods Ltd produces a wide range of speciality bakery products for food service, retail and catering. It bakes up to 60 million products every year at its purpose-built manufacturing unit.

The business has brought a number of firsts to the table, including flat breads and bread bowls. Its latest innovation, the Big Softy, is available in plain white, plain brown, semolina topped white, honey and oats topped brown, and cheese and herb topped white. Baked in foot-long moulds or as 8 inch sub rolls, the range is available nationally through distributors.

Tasty Tesco Debut for New East Midlands Healthy Snack Crips 99Cals

Crunchy new lower fat snack Crips 99Cals has made its debut in Tesco stores in the East Midlands and beyond.

The oven-baked wheat and potato snack created by East Midlands snack producer Crips has 70% less fat than traditional fried potato crisps and only 99 calories per pack.


The product was unveiled on the healthy snacking aisles at 39 Tesco stores from Brackley to Barnsley in July.

It is the first time that the new-look Crips 99Cals packs have gone on sale – offering a tasty, deliciously different snack to health-conscious crisp lovers with an appetite for something special.

Created by a team based at Ingleby near Derby, the Crips 99Cals range is available in three different flavours – Thai Sweet Chilli, Sea Salt & Balsamic Vinegar and Mature Cheddar Cheese & Spring Onion.

Crips have been voted number one in independent tests…beating five leading-brand healthy option snacks on taste, texture and appearance.

“We are delighted that our new Crips 99Cals range has been unveiled in Tesco stores in the East Midlands area from Northampton right up to Barnsley,” said Crips managing director Gareth Smith.

“We hope the new packs will go down a treat with customers who appreciate their snacks but who are looking for something low in calories and fat, and who don’t want to sacrifice the crunch, taste and eating experience of more traditional snacks.”

Crips 99Cals have no GM ingredients, no monosodium glutamate, are trans-fat free, have no artificial colours or preservatives, contain heaps of natural flavour, and are suitable for vegetarians.

Crips 99Cals are on sale at the Tesco stores listed overleaf at £0.49 per 22.5g pack.

Caroline Bartrop, regional marketing manager for local sourcing in north & east of England for Tesco, said: "We are delighted to be the first retailer to be stocking the new Crips 99cal range in Tesco stores. Crips is a really innovative concept and we think the packaging will have great stand out on shelf."

The Tesco stores stocking Crips 99Cals are:

Alfreton, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Barnsley Extra, Brackley, Chesterfield (Extra and Metro), Clowne, Daventry, Derby – Mickleover, Doncaster (Extra and Edenthorpe), Glossop, Goole (Boothferry Road), Heanor, Hinckley, Hucknall Extra, Ilkeston Extra, Kettering Extra, Leicester (Hamilton Extra and Extra), Long Eaton Extra, Loughborough Extra, Mansfield (Chesterfield Road Extra and Jubilee Extra), Melton Mowbray, New Ollerton, Northampton (South Extra), Nottingham (Carlton, Metro, TV Extra and Toton Extra), Oakham, Sheffield Infirmary, South Wigston, Towcester, Wellingborough 2, Weston Favell Extra, Whaley Bridge and Worksop.

Food for thought at iThrive event organised by the Food and Drink iNet as part of the 2010 East Midlands iFestival

Almost 100 delegates took part in an event aimed at celebrating innovation in the food and drink sector, held as part of the 2010 East Midlands iFestival.

Celebrity foodie Loyd Grossman OBE, former professional poker player Caspar Berry and serial entrepreneur Jonathan Hick were the key speakers at the iThrive event, which was organised by the Food and Drink iNet and took place at Center Parcs, Sherwood Forest, in Nottinghamshire.

The event celebrated the finale of a string of working party sessions that have been run by the Food and Drink iNet over the past few months aimed at inspiring firms to look at new products, new processes and new ways of working.

Delegates heard about the importance of branding from TV presenter and the former host of MasterChef Loyd Grossman, who launched his Loyd Grossman brand of sauces in 1995. The brand is now worth more than £55 million a year.

They also learnt more about risk taking and decision making from ex international poker player Caspar Berry, who provided insights into risk, uncertainty and the science of decision making.

The final speaker, entrepreneur Jonathan Hick, who has appeared on Channel 4’s Secret Millionaire, told the audience how he had launched a series of businesses - from an enterprise selling foam hands to a company buying and preserving brands from firms that have gone into administration. He now has 21 partners in six different businesses.

“The iThrive event was a fitting finale to the first two years of the Food and Drink iNet, during
which time the iNet has supported more than 300 businesses in the region, provided Innovation Support Grants to 57 businesses, and has funded nine university collaboration

research projects,” said Food and Drink iNet director Peter Maycock. “The Food and Drink iNet has also run a successful series of events that attracted more than 650 delegates from 150 businesses to look at some of the key industry issues.

“In addition, the Food and Drink iNet has run three successful best practice factory visits and also raised the profile of the food and drink sector as a career choice amongst students at the region’s universities. I am delighted that so many people working in the sector were able to join us for such an informative and interesting event, and hope it has given delegates some food for thought for the future.”

The iThrive event was part of the 2010 East Midlands iFestival taking place from 12th March to 23rd April, which is the largest annual celebration of innovation in the UK and features more than 150 activities across the region. The iFestival is being co-ordinated by East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and East Midlands Innovation (the region’s innovation council).

The Food and Drink iNet is aiming to foster innovation in the region’s food and drink sector by encouraging businesses to turn new ideas into new business through the development of new technologies and products. It’s also hoping to stimulate new processes, services and ways of working in the industry to help boost the sector.

Funded by East Midlands Development Agency (emda), the Food and Drink iNet is managed by a consortium, led by the Food & Drink Forum and including Food Processing Faraday, Nottingham Trent University, the University of Lincoln, and the University of Nottingham.

For further information about the iFestival and East Midlands Innovation please visit www.eminnovation.org.uk

iThrive event featuring Loyd Grossman organised by the Food and Drink iNet as part of the 2010 East Midlands iFestival

Celebrity foodie Loyd Grossman OBE, former professional poker player Caspar Berry and serial entrepreneur Jonathan Hick will be the key ingredients of an event organised by the Food and Drink iNet for this year’s iFestival.

The three have been unveiled as speakers at the iThrive event being held at Center Parcs, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, on March 25th.

It is part of the 2010 East Midlands iFestival taking place from 12th March to 23rd April, which is the largest annual celebration of innovation in the UK and features more than 150 activities across the region. The iFestival is being co-ordinated by East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and East Midlands Innovation (the region’s innovation council).

Aimed at businesses connected to the food and drink industry in the East Midlands, the iThrive event will turn the spotlight on the latest innovations in the sector, review the contribution of branding and reputation to a successful business, explore the theory and science behind risk and its role in decision making, and provide inspiration for the future.

It will also celebrate the Food and Drink iNet Working Parties which have been running across the region over recent months to explore specific areas of the food and drink sector.

“The Food and Drink iNet iThrive event promises to be a very interesting and informative session, and will also give us the chance to review the insights which have been discovered by the working parties,” said Peter Maycock, Food and Drink iNet Director.

“It has all the ingredients for an inspirational and thought-provoking day, plus the chance for businesses to meet others in the sector.”

Television presenter Loyd Grossman, who has a range of sauces, soups and other products, will kick off the event by looking at branding and reputation. His speech will be followed by an interactive workshop led by Caspar Berry, a former professional poker player and co-founder of Twenty First Century Media.

Caspar will be using game playing to provide insights into risk, uncertainty and the science of decision making.

The event will culminate with a networking dinner to provide opportunities to discover more about the Food and Drink iNet and how the iNet can help businesses thrive and grow. Serial entrepreneur and self-made millionaire Jonathan Hick, who recently appeared on Channel 4’s The Secret Millionaire, is to be guest speaker.

Running from 1.30pm to 9.30pm, tickets for the iThrive event are free by contacting enquiries@foodanddrinkforum.co.uk.

The Food and Drink iNet is aiming to foster innovation in the region’s food and drink sector by encouraging businesses to turn new ideas into new business through the development of new technologies and products. It’s also hoping to stimulate new processes, services and ways of working in the industry to help boost the sector.

Funded by East Midlands Development Agency (emda), the Food and Drink iNet is managed by a consortium, led by the Food & Drink Forum and including Food Processing Faraday, Nottingham Trent University, the University of Lincoln, and the University of Nottingham.

For further information about the iFestival and East Midlands Innovation please visit www.eminnovation.org.uk