Food and Drink Forum helps Leicester firm secure Oxford Street deal

Lucy Cufflin

Leicester food producer Lucy’s Food has won a contract to supply tray bakes to a flagship Oxford Street store after taking part in a project run by The Food and Drink Forum.

The Leicester Food Specialist project provides two days of free support to eligible food and drink manufacturers in specific parts of the city in a bid to help the food and drink sector develop and grow.

Cake maker Lucy’s Food turned to business support organisation The Food and Drink Forum for advice and mentoring about how the firm could gain a recognised industry accreditation which would open doors with much bigger customers.

It led to the company winning an order to supply a range of cakes to two cafés in the Debenhams Oxford Street branch. It is the company’s first national order and the firm’s biggest order to date.

Lucy Cufflin, who runs the business, said: “It’s been an incredible journey forward for our business. It’s a big step because this means we can look at getting orders from much bigger customers that we haven’t been able to approach before. Richard Wigley, the senior technical manager at The Food and Drink Forum, has been someone from outside telling us how it will work on a different scale.

“The Leicester Food Specialist project has been a great opportunity to realise what The Food and Drink Forum can do for us in an on-going relationship. Rather than trying to invent it ourselves all the time we can go to them for help.

“The Debenhams order is a regular large scale order coming in which means we can employ more full-time people and look to purchase more equipment.”

The £94,500 Leicester Food Specialist project is being funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), which is providing more than 60% of the cost of the scheme, The Food and Drink Forum, and Leicester City Council through the Working Neighbourhood Fund.

The service, which runs until December 2014, is offering two free days of support to start-ups, micro businesses and small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises in the food and drink sector in the city centre area. This could cover a range of support from technical advice and packaging services to marketing, help with new routes to market or accreditation.

The two days of support is for a maximum of 25 companies and there are eligibility criteria for those taking part.

Lucy’s Food has been operating in the Leicester area since 2006, producing and supplying a variety of food products to local delis and cafés, but more recently the firm, which has premises in Putney Road West, has been concentrating on its popular tray bakes and cakes. It is currently supplying Sam's rocky road brownies, Leicestershire honey flapjack and orange, almond and mascarpone cake to Debenhams.

Trained chef Lucy Cufflin is the author of the cookbook, Lucy’s Food.

Her firm is one of 15 companies that have already got involved in the Leicester Food Specialist project.

“We are very pleased to hear that Lucy’s Food has won this deal with Debenhams after taking part in the Leicester Food Specialist project and being given advice and support by The Food and Drink Forum’s team of experts,” said Forum general manager Fay Davies.

“Our role is to support food and drink businesses across the region and beyond with their development. The Leicester Food Specialist project is just one area that we are working in at the moment, and it’s great to see that the project is already achieving results.”

The next event being held for eligible firms focuses on labelling and branding and takes place on Thursday 17th October at Leicester College between 8am and 9.30am. It is also open to Food and Drink Forum members.

For more details about the Leicester Food Specialist project, eligibility and the next event, email enquiries@foodanddrinkforum.co.uk or call 01159 758810.

Press release issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Food and Drink Forum to launch new services for the catering and hospitality trade

One of the East Midlands’ key business support organisations, The Food and Drink Forum, has revealed that it is to launch a new service aimed at helping firms in the catering and hospitality trade.

Announcing the move at its flagship AGM and members’ networking supper event, The Forum announced that it hoped to soon unveil a new package of support and a membership offer specifically for the catering and hospitality part of the sector.

Support available will include new training and technical services and supply chain support, which are designed to help businesses to grow and develop. 

“The Food and Drink Forum has supported organisations across the sector since it formed in 1998, particularly those in production or manufacture. Now we will be creating tailored support for those businesses that focus on hospitality, which we believe will be useful and will encourage more catering and hospitality outlets to join our organisation,” said managing director of The Food and Drink Forum, Fiona Anderson.

Around 100 guests attended the AGM and networking supper event, which was held at Kelham Hall, near Newark. The event attracted members and associates from across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland.

This year’s supper was sponsored and supported by Campden BRI, the UK's largest independent membership-based organisation carrying out research and development and providing technical support for the food and drinks industry worldwide, Clegg Food Projects, a market leader in providing practical design, engineering and construction solutions for major food and drink operations, and the Food and Drink iNet, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and run by a consortium led by The Food and Drink Forum.

“Our AGM and members’ supper is our flagship event of the year, and once again it was greatly enjoyed by those who attended,” added Fiona Anderson.

Speakers at the event included James Pogson, director of Chesterfield-based Northern Tea Merchants, Kamal Dhutia, director at Leicester-based condiments portion control supplier B I (Europe) Limited, and Phil Ellis, from Attimo – an East Midlands online market place project which provides an easy and efficient opportunity for artisan producers and hotels, restaurants and caterers looking for high quality items to do business with each other.

For information about joining The Food and Drink Forum or the new service for the catering and hospitality trade please call 0115 9758810. 

www.foodanddrinkforum.co.uk

Press release issued by Nottingham PR firm Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Craft cider maker hopes to expand after Food and Drink iNet grant

A Leicestershire craft cider maker is raising a glass to the Food and Drink iNet after being awarded a grant to help the company expand.

The Bottle Kicking Cider Company is being given almost £5,000 by the iNet to help the company raise its profile further afield and to introduce innovative new containers to store its drink.

The company, which is based at Hallaton, between Market Harborough and Uppingham, produces two bottled ciders and one draught cider, and supplies to local businesses, as well as Waitrose in the area.

But now it hopes to step up a gear, increase production and begin selling its drinks across the region and beyond.

“The hope is to grow the cider business and make it as successful as we can in the East Midlands, bearing in mind that the majority of production is in the West Country,” said Rob Morton, who runs the Bottle Kicking Cider Company.

The firm, which was launched two years ago, is match-funding the Food and Drink iNet grant.

Part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the iNet co-ordinates innovation support for businesses, universities and individuals working in the food and drink sector in the East Midlands. It has developed an effective network to encourage the collaboration of academic expertise and knowledge, and local food and drink business innovation needs. The Bottle Kicking Cider Company aims to use the grant and its own investment to fund marketing expertise.

“We have got to the stage now where we have good presence locally and we need to get some support to help us expand the business and that’s where we are bringing in marketing expertise that can broaden our spread from the local Leicestershire area,” said Rob. “That will really help accelerate our growth plans.”

The second part of the support will help the Bottle Kicking Cider Company to buy specially adapted air-tight containers to store and transport the cider. The company currently rents containers, but buying the recycled, modified containers will be more cost-effective and more sustainable for the business.

The Bottle Kicking Cider Company, named after the famous traditional bottle-kicking gathering that takes place between the villagers of Hallaton and Medbourne every Easter Monday, produces up to 7,000 litres of cider a year using hand-picked apples from Gloucestershire and Leicestershire. It produces Scrambler and Rambler cider in bottles, and a still traditional farmhouse cider on draught.

Food and Drink iNet advisor Stevie Jackson said: “I’m very pleased that the Food and Drink iNet has been able to support the Bottle Kicking Cider Company with its plans for growth and hope that the innovations introduced will help the business to expand and develop.”

The Food and Drink iNet is managed by a consortium, led by The Food and Drink Forum and including 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 about the iNet visit www.foodanddrink-inet.org.uk

Press release issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR  www.perfect10pr.co.uk

New advisor for Food and Drink iNet

East Midlands food and drink innovation support service The Food and Drink iNet has appointed Lisa Simpson as its latest advisor.

Lisa, who is working across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, was previously a business development manager at Boots and has recently been a student at The School of Artisan Food in Nottinghamshire studying dairy and bakery.

Her role is to support food and drink producers in the two counties as part of a team of iNet advisors covering the East Midlands.

“We are delighted to welcome Lisa on board, and I know she is looking forward to supporting food and drink businesses with their innovation projects,” said Food and Drink iNet director Richard Worrall.

Part-funded by 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.

It has developed an effective network to encourage the collaboration of academic expertise and knowledge, and local food and drink business innovation needs.

The iNet offers free business consultations to small and medium companies in the sector who have plans to innovate and grow and it provides match-funded grants for relevant innovation projects. It has supported hundreds of businesses since its launch in 2008 and is currently involved in funding key research projects in food and drink at many of the region’s universities.

The Food and Drink iNet is managed by a consortium, led by The Food and Drink Forum and including Nottingham Trent University, The University of Lincoln, and The University of Nottingham.

It is based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham. For more information visit www.foodanddrink-inet.org.uk

Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire food and drink manufacturers interested in finding out more about how the iNet can support innovation projects should contact Lisa via lisa.simpson@foodanddrink-inet.org.uk

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Free advice on winning contracts available to East Midlands companies

Tops tips on tender writing for public sector contracts will be available for East Midlands businesses at a free seminar later this month.

The workshop is the second of three sessions being run to help small and medium-sized companies to learn the secret of success when it comes to bidding for public sector contracts.

Open to all sectors and to businesses across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland, the workshops are being delivered by specialist consultants who have a proven track record of supporting businesses across a variety of sectors.

The programme is being run by Nottingham Trent University’s Future Factory in association with The Food and Drink Forum and Action Sustainability.

Future Factory is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and aims to support East Midlands small to medium-sized companies to adopt more sustainable products and processes.

The next workshop turns the spotlight on writing a winning tender, and takes place at Nottingham Trent University’s Clifton Campus between 9.30am and 1.30pm on June 20th.

The final session, which is being staged at Nottingham Trent University’s City Campus on July 4th from 9.30am to 1.30pm, will concentrate on practicing the presentation skills that can help your company to win over a potential buyer.

“The first session, which focused on writing a successful Pre-Qualification Questionnaire, attracted businesses from a wide range of sectors and was a real success,” said Lisa Unwin, from The Food and Drink Forum. “I would urge any East Midlands company to sign up for the next sessions if they’d like to receive essential advice and support for winning new business.”

  For full details of what’s included in each event or to find out more, please visit http://bit.ly/euCEwQ For inquiries or to book, contact Angela Scott at futurefactory@ntu.ac.uk or on 0115 8488675.

Press release issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

East Midlands companies offered free advice on winning contracts

East Midlands businesses are being invited to learn the secret of success when it comes to bidding for public sector contracts.

A series of free workshops is being run to help small and medium-sized companies boost their selling potential and improve their chances during the procurement process.

The three events are open to all sectors and to businesses across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland.

The sessions will be delivered by specialist consultants who have a proven track record of supporting businesses across a variety of sectors. Their clients have been helped to win more than £13 million in new business over the past two years.

The first session takes place on May 30th at Nottingham Trent University’s Clifton Campus between 9.30am and 1.30pm, and focuses on writing a successful Pre-Qualification Questionnaire.

This is followed by a second workshop at the same venue between 9.30am and 1.30pm on June 20th, which will turn the spotlight on writing a winning tender.

The final session, which is being staged at Nottingham Trent University’s City Campus on July 4th from 9.30am to 1.30pm, will concentrate on practicing the presentation skills that can help your company to win over a potential buyer.

Companies are being advised to attend all three sessions if possible, to make the most of the opportunities, but are welcome to book individual workshops.

The programme is being run by Nottingham Trent University’s Future Factory in association with The Food and Drink Forum and Action Sustainability.

Future Factory is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and aims to support East Midlands small to medium-sized companies to adopt more sustainable products and processes.

For full details of what’s included in each event or to find out more, please visit http://bit.ly/euCEwQ For inquiries or to book, contact Angela Scott at futurefactory@ntu.ac.uk or on 0115 8488675. Issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Food and Drink Forum announces its AGM and networking supper date

One of the largest food and drink business support membership organisations in the East Midlands has announced the date for its flagship event of the year.

The Food and Drink Forum, which operates across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland, will be staging its annual general meeting and networking supper on Tuesday June 26^th.

 Around 160 key industry figures from across the East Midlands took part in last year’s event, with more expected this year.

“Our AGM and networking supper provides the perfect opportunity for those connected to the region’s food and drink sector to meet other industry professionals, catch up on industry trends and to make important contacts,” said Food and Drink Forum managing director Fiona Anderson.

The Forum, which is based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham, has members across the region, including manufacturers, food service operators, and consultants and businesses providing services to the food and drink sector.

Members are entitled to at least one free ticket to the AGM and networking supper, depending on their membership level. Food and drink firms interested in being a part of the Forum are invited to join ahead of the AGM event, which takes place at Kelham Hall, near Newark, from 4pm on June 26^th.

“The AGM is a key date on the calendar, and once again we’re expecting to attract members from across the East Midlands,” said Fiona Anderson.

Guest speakers are currently being lined up but will include Ian Noakes, from Dovedale Foods, which produces the Sauces of Choice brand.

The Food and Drink Forum was founded in 1998 as a not-for-profit, membership-led organisation to stimulate and support the sustainable growth and development of the food and drink industry in the East Midlands.

Its aims include championing the food and drink sector in the East Midlands, developing strategic influencing partnerships within and outside the East Midlands, and acting as a centre for information and knowledge on all subjects relating to the food and drink sector in the region.

It also aims to stimulate and facilitate sustainable change within companies of all sizes across the food chain, generate income and secure resources to meet the needs of a high-quality service, and promote the food and drink sector to future employees through education and the raising of skills.

For information about membership or the AGM and networking supper please call 0115 9758810.

www.foodanddrinkforum.co.uk

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New membership structure introduced by business support organisation The Food and Drink Forum

Business support organisation The Food and Drink Forum has launched a new membership structure to offer more flexible grades.

The Forum, which has been supporting food and drink companies since 1998, has also boosted the range of offers available to members.

“Previously our membership grades focused on the size of a business, but we have changed the grades available to allow members to choose the level that best suits their needs. It also offers them the flexibility to move from one grade to another from year to year, depending on their stage of development,” said Food and Drink Forum managing director Fiona Anderson.

“The new structure has been introduced in response to feedback from members and we hope it will provide more value.”

The Food and Drink Forum, which is based in the Business Centre at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham, and operates in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Rutland and across the UK, provides a range of different services to food and drink firms.

Advice, expertise, business support, training, production and technical services, sales and marketing advice and lead generation are just some of the services on offer. In addition, members can also benefit from the use of business facilities, meeting rooms and a new product development kitchen at Southglade Food Park.

“We have based our grades on the needs of businesses, drawing on many years of experience within the industry,” said Fiona Anderson. “Membership packages are available to any food and drink producer or manufacturer of any size, from start-up companies to larger established organisations. We also have a consultant membership grade for those who supply into the food and drink sector.”

Bronze, Silver and Gold membership packages have been introduced, with prices starting at £110 plus vat per annum. Visit www.foodanddrinkforum.co.uk for more detailed information.

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

It aims to:
• Champion the food and drink sector in the East Midlands.
• Develop strategic influencing partnerships within and outside the East Midlands.
• Act as a centre for information and knowledge on all subjects relating to the food and drink sector in the region.
• Stimulate and facilitate sustainable change within companies of all sizes across the food chain.
• Generate income and secure resources to meet the needs of a high-quality service.
• Promote the food and drink sector to future employees through education and the raising of skills.

For more information about the services offered by The Food and Drink Forum visit www.foodanddrinkforum.co.uk

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

Food and Drink Forum helps Nottingham company launch Argan oil

Business support organisation The Food and Drink Forum is helping a Nottingham importer to become one of the first companies to bring a ‘magical’ oil to the UK food and drink market.

Argan Oil, which comes from a small and specific part of Morocco, has been dubbed the golden oil for its health, nutrition and beauty properties. Rich in essential vitamins, it’s beneficial for skin and hair, and also as part of a healthy diet.

It’s been used extensively in the beauty industry but Azzelarab El Alaoui, who runs Nottingham-based Alassala Olives Ltd, aims to be one of only a handful of importers currently selling Argan oil in the UK’s food sector.

He plans to sell the oil to delis, health stores and top restaurants, and has been working with The Food and Drink Forum to launch the product.

The Food and Drink Forum’s technical manager Richard Wigley has been supporting the launch of Organic Moroccan Argan Oil with advice on labelling, legal organic certification and shelf-life. He’s also helped with information about the best ways to get the product showcased to buyers, retailers and others who might be interested in Argan oil.

“Argan oil is a very interesting product, and Azzelarab is passionate about raising its profile and bringing it to the UK,” said Richard Wigley. “As a business support organisation with experience of helping companies to develop and launch new products, The Food and Drink Forum has been delighted to help him with his project.”

Argan oil is made from the nuts of the Argan tree, which is found only in the south west part of Morocco. The nuts are cracked by hand and the seed extracted and ground into paste oil. It is traditionally made by local Berber women who work in cooperatives and it can take ten to 12 hours to produce one litre of oil.

Through fair trade, Argan oil provides the Berber women with a dependable source of income, a means of improving their financial independence and it opens better access to health care and education.

Before modern times the women would collect the undigested Argan pits from the waste of goats that climb the trees to feed on the fruit.

Azzelarab, who is Moroccan and moved to the UK eight or nine year ago, founded his company Alassala Olives Ltd a year ago. Alassala means originality and he aims to supply unusual and original products.

“The south west of Morocco is very well visited by German tourist, especially the biggest city in that region Agadir,” he said. “They were the first Europeans to show great interest in the benefits of Argan oil.

They were fascinated by how Berber women in that region look very young and have no wrinkles and how people look so healthy in general. After their research they found out that diet is behind that. Argan oil is a fundamental element in diet of the people in that region. When they analysed Argan oil they found it was rich in vitamin E and has omega three, six and nine, and it’s the only oil that contains all four elements.”

In 1999, UNESCO added the Argan tree-growing area to the World Heritage List.

Just as Britons caught on to the benefits of eating olive oil, so Argan oil is now starting to find favour, said Azzelarab, who is based in Bulwell.

“It’s been called golden oil, magical oil and miracle oil,” he said.
His food product is suitable for dipping, drizzling, on salads and for sweets and pastries.

“Other parts of Europe recognised the benefits of Argan oil some time ago,” said Azzelarab. “I have done the research and although there are a small number of people importing it to the UK there are no big companies or nationally recognised names that are importing Argan oil.

“I’m very grateful for the expertise of The Food and Drink Forum, which has helped me since I launched my business.”

The Food and Drink Forum, based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham, was launched in 1998 as a not-for-profit membership-led organisation to stimulate and support the sustainable growth and development of the food and drink industry in the East Midlands.

It aims to:
• Champion the food and drink sector in the East Midlands.
• Develop strategic influencing partnerships within and outside the East Midlands.
• Act as a centre for information and knowledge on all subjects relating to the food and drink sector in the region.
• Stimulate and facilitate sustainable change within companies of all sizes across the food chain.
• Generate income and secure resources to meet the needs of a high-quality service.
• Promote the food and drink sector to future employees through education and the raising of skills.

For more information about the services offered by The Food and Drink Forum visit www.foodanddrinkforum.co.uk

For more information about Alassala Olives Ltd visit www.alassalaolives.co.uk


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Food and Drink Forum launches new service after strengthening its technical team

Business support organisation The Food and Drink Forum has launched a new service dedicated to packaging advice and support for small and medium-sized food and drink companies after appointing Kasia Chapman as assistant to food technical manager Richard Wigley.

Kasia will be offering specialist advice to smaller companies on suitable packaging solutions that provide the best shelf-life options.

Her appointment will also allow The Forum to support additional food and drink companies across the East Midlands and beyond with a range of consultancy services, including advice on technical accreditations, quality assurance, and food hygiene and safety.

Kasia has worked in the food and drink sector for more than 27 years and has extensive experience in packaging, food technology, quality assurance and new product development for major retailers in the food sector.

She will be operating across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland.

“Kasia’s appointment is the result of increased demand from food and drink companies in the East Midlands for advice and support on key industry issues, such as packaging and technical accreditations,” said Fiona Anderson, managing director of The Food and Drink Forum, which is based at The Business Centre, Southglade Food Park, Gala Way in Nottingham.

“Gaining accreditations can help open doors to new markets, which is important in a challenging economic environment. The Forum has a long and successful history of helping food and drink companies with training, advice and support, and I am pleased that we have strengthened our team with the arrival of Kasia, and also been able to launch a service dedicated to packaging solutions.”

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

It aims to:

• Champion the food and drink sector in the East Midlands.

• Develop strategic influencing partnerships within and outside the East Midlands.

• Act as a centre for information and knowledge on all subjects relating to the food and drink sector in the region.

• Stimulate and facilitate sustainable change within companies of all sizes across the food chain.

• Generate income and secure resources to meet the needs of a high-quality service.

• Promote the food and drink sector to future employees through education and the raising of skills.

For more information about the services offered by The Food and Drink Forum visit www.foodanddrinkforum.co.uk


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Food and Drink Forum support is a recipe for success for Miss Will’s Pickles

Nottingham pickle producer Miss Will’s Pickles has gained one of the latest food industry accreditations after support from The Food and Drink Forum.

The Forum’s food technical manager Richard Wigley guided the Caribbean pickle company to success with SALSA, a food quality certificate scheme that allows producers to supply locally into supermarkets.

The accreditation could now open doors for the firm, which was launched in 2008 by managing director Trevor Howell.

“Gaining an industry-recognised accreditation or standard shows that a company is competent and professional, and could lead to new contracts for us,” said Trevor, who is based in Radford and who named the brand after his mum. “The SALSA accreditation gives retailers confidence in a business and its products, and I am very pleased with the support and expert advice that the Food and Drink Forum was able to provide.”

The range produced by Miss Will’s Pickles includes pickled whole Scotch Bonnet Peppers, a selection of hot pepper garnishes and a selection of mild pepper garnishes. Its products are sold in stores and outlets in Nottingham, Derby, Leeds, Manchester and Birmingham.

The Food and Drink Forum, based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham, but operating across the East Midlands and beyond, offers support to companies working in the food and drink sector.

Richard Wigley said: “There are several different accreditation schemes and quality systems standards that food and drink firms can achieve, but they all reflect a level of quality of standard, which in turn provides national and regional buyers with confidence. The SALSA scheme was ideal for a small food company like Miss Will’s Pickles.”

Richard is a mentor and auditor for SALSA, an expert in implementation and management of food quality standards such as BRC (British Retail Consortium), and an auditor for the European Halal Development Agency standard.

He added: “Achieving a food accreditation or quality standard helps to open doors. In some cases, firms won’t speak to food and drink producers unless they have an accreditation, so it’s really important to have it if they are looking to find new customers to supply, particularly in the current climate.”

For more information on accreditation schemes and quality systems standards available, and how the Food and Drink Forum can help firms achieve the grade, contact Richard Wigley on 0115 9758810.

www.foodanddrinkforum.co.uk

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Food and Drink iNet (Innovation Network) serves up support to ten East Midlands firms

Ten East Midlands companies working in the food and drink sector have been given support worth £37,500 by the Food and Drink iNet (Innovation Network) to encourage investment in innovation.

The money, which the firms have match funded, is being used for a range of projects including new product development and improvements in production processes.

“It is crucial that companies continue to think and work innovatively, both for their own futures and to ensure that the food and drink sector in the East Midlands continues to develop and thrive,” said Food and Drink iNet director Richard Worrall. “I am very pleased that the Food and Drink iNet has been able to support these ten forward-thinking firms, and wish them well with their projects.”

The Food and Drink iNet, which is funded by East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), aims to encourage innovation in the region’s food and drink sector through new ways of working, new product development and the introduction of new processes.

With advisors working across Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland, it links academic and private sector expertise and knowledge with local food and drink business innovation needs.

Innovation Advice and Guidance has been granted to the following firms:

In Leicestershire –

Coffee company Shelton Imports, from Kibworth, has been awarded £5,600 to help develop, re-brand and launch its chocolate-coated coffee beans.

Yum Baby Ltd, from Leicester, has been awarded £3,250 to develop an ambient range of organic, halal baby foods to go alongside its frozen range.

In Nottinghamshire –

Ghar Ka Khana, of Edwalton, has been awarded £3,375 to help develop a branding and marketing strategy to enable the firm to access new markets.

Miss Will’s Pickles, from Nottingham, has been awarded £2,000 for new product development to extend the existing range.

Lindhurst Engineering, from Sutton-in-Ashfield, has been awarded £10,000 to develop further a compact design waste baler suitable for the food and drink sector, which crushes paper, plastic and cardboard, and uses less energy than existing models.

Food importer and wholesaler Asiana Ltd, from Nottingham, has been awarded £2,750 to develop a new drink for the UK market that’s popular in south east Asia.

In Derbyshire –

Potato and vegetable supplier AB Produce Ltd, based at Measham, has been awarded £1,900 to work with the University of Nottingham to reduce the number of additives in the firm’s production process.

Design, development and application engineering company Intelligent Distributed Controls (IDC), Derby, has been awarded £2,550 to help develop software for a hardware pouring system the company has invented that will reduce waste and loss of drinks in the food service and hospitality sector, and improve profits.

Meat netting manufacturer Trunature Holdings Ltd, from Measham, has been awarded £3,825 to introduce a data mapping system to measure the effectiveness of new, more efficient, production machinery to minimise waste.

Cake and cereal bar supplier Ashbourne Foods, from Ashbourne, has been awarded £2,250 to help with new product development in the healthy eating sector.

The Food and Drink iNet, which is based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham, 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 and Drink Forum and including Food Processing Faraday, Nottingham Trent University, the University of Lincoln, and the University of Nottingham. For more information visit www.eminnovation.org.uk/food


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East Midlands business support organisation The Food and Drink Forum stages its AGM

More than 130 professionals connected to the East Midlands food and drink sector took part in the annual general meeting and networking supper of business support organisation The Food and Drink Forum.

The Forum is one of the largest business support organisations in the region dedicated to the food and drink sector, with members across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland.

The annual general meeting and members’ networking supper, which took place at Kelham Hall, near Newark, is the flagship event of the organisation’s calendar.

During the event The Forum unveiled a new membership structure which it hopes will appeal to firms across the food and drink chain from producers and manufacturers through to distributors and retailers.

The new structure will also allow members to choose the level of support they need and to take advantage of new services that will be rolled out over the next year.

“The nature of business support is changing as a result of the political and economic landscape,” said Food and Drink Forum Managing Director Fiona Anderson. “However, we believe this makes our role as a sector-specific organisation even more relevant and even more important than ever for businesses.

“We have a commitment to the industry built up over 13 years. We know and understand the sector, and as a result we can offer services that are tailored to the industry’s needs and that help to achieve new orders, continued growth and access to new markets. We hope our new membership structure will appeal to existing members and also to others who work across a broad spectrum of the food industry.”

After the AGM, delegates received presentations from Sam Sangha, Managing Director of Nottingham-based importer and wholesaler of oriental foods Asiana Ltd, and his daughter Sandy Lathia, who is the firm’s Business Development Director, who spoke about bringing a product to market – describing how they developed and launched Siam Gold beer.

Head of Marketing at Pork Farms Ltd, Andy Napthine, went on to talk about Pork Farms’ brand relaunch, which came earlier this year as the brand marks its 80th anniversary.

This was followed by the Members’ Supper, sponsored by recruitment consultants Ambitions Personnel. Established in 1990, with 17 locations in the East Midlands, and currently supplying over 1500 temporary workers to the food industry on a daily basis, Ambitions Personnel believes that an organisation’s best ingredients should be its people.

The Food and Drink Forum is based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham, and is a membership organisation that supports the sustainable growth of the food and drink sector across the East Midlands.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the benefits of joining The Food and Drink Forum should call 0115 9758810 or visit www.foodanddrinkforum.co.uk

Photo caption:
Left to right: Food and Drink Forum Managing Director Fiona Anderson, Head of Marketing at Pork Farms Andy Napthine, Business Development Director Sandy Lathia and Managing Director Sam Sangha, both from Asiana Ltd.

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

Free innovation advice for East Midlands food and drink firms at Food and Drink iNet sessions

Food and drink sector businesses are being invited to a free event to discover more about the support for innovation that’s available in the East Midlands.

The Food and Drink innovation Network (iNet) is staging two events as part of its Innovation Showcase 2011 on March 23rd. They will turn the spotlight on support and funding for innovation generally, as well as more specifically about the latest engineering technologies that could overcome current manufacturing challenges.

Held at East Midlands Conference Centre, University Park, Nottingham, the events are open to firms working in Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland, and are designed to feed the strong appetite for innovation in the food and drink sector across the East Midlands.

“The Food and Drink iNet Innovation Showcase events are the perfect chance for food and drink businesses in the region to discover the help that’s available for innovation,” said Richard Worrall, director of the Food and Drink iNet, which encourages innovation in the sector by providing support and promoting and co-ordinating innovation activity for businesses, universities and individuals working in the food and drink sector in the East Midlands.

Funded by East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Food and Drink iNet is one of four regional iNets that has developed an effective network to link academic and private sector expertise and knowledge with local food and drink business innovation needs.

The first event, Get Connected, which runs from 8.30am to 2pm, offers the opportunity for food and drink firms to meet iNet advisers, discover details about current support and funding for innovation, find out how to become part of the innovation network, and to update themselves on key topics for the sector.

This will be followed by a second iShowcase event, which runs from 1pm to 5pm, which is aimed at bringing together food and drink businesses and engineering companies. Organised under the Championing Innovation between the Engineering and Food Sectors (ChIEFS) project, it’s an opportunity for food processors to meet engineers, explain their needs and discover ways that engineering firms could help design and create innovative solutions to problems experienced by food manufacturers.

It will provide an introduction to the ChIEFS project, give examples of successful collaborations between engineering firms and food and drink businesses that have already occurred, and provide an update on the latest advances in hygienic design, as well as offer food manufacturers information about the latest engineering technologies.

A networking lunch will be held between the two sessions.

To book a free place at one or both iShowcase events or for more information, call 0115 9758810, or visit the events section of www.eminnovation.org.uk/food

The Food and Drink iNet 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 and 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


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Food blending business upgrades IT to boost customer service, thanks to Food and Drink iNet

A food blending firm, whose clients have products on the shelves of nearly all major supermarkets, has been given support from the Food and Drink iNet to help overhaul its IT system and improve customer service.

FoodBlenders, based in Market Harborough and now in its 13th year of trading, is a bespoke manufacturer of seasonings, sauces and gravy powders.

The firm supplies pie and ready meal manufacturers, meat processors, bakeries and other food and drink manufacturers throughout the UK. FoodBlenders’ products are included in a large range of finished goods, many of which can be found in all the major multiples, including Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Asda and Tesco.

Now FoodBlenders has successfully applied for support from the Food and Drink iNet so it can further develop its IT system to streamline and simplify its internal systems and allow it to collate technical information in whatever format customers require, at the touch of a button.

FoodBlenders was awarded innovation advice and guidance worth nearly £3,600 by the Food and Drink iNet. The company will now match that amount with its own investment.

“It is fantastic to have received this support from the iNet,” said Liz Halstead, FoodBlenders’ finance director. “Their advisor was excellent and gave us a lot of support and guidance and we were delighted to be successful in our application. They made their decision as to whether we would get an award very promptly, which has allowed us to move ahead with the project immediately.”

The £7,000 plus IT project got underway at the end of 2010 and marked the second milestone in six months for FoodBlenders. In July, the firm was awarded an A grade BRC accreditation (British Retail Consortium), which has already provided many new opportunities for the company.

Dominic Forty, production director for FoodBlenders, said: “Since gaining this accreditation we have already brought on board several new, large national customers and are excited about the potential for the future.”

FoodBlenders sources its ingredients from the UK, Europe and throughout the world and is a member of Valid IT, which ensures top quality ingredients and traceability, both of which are crucial within the food industry. The company has an on-site product development facility, and the highly trained technical staff, led by technical manager Dianne Collins, are able to provide bespoke blends to suit each customer’s demands. This can range from matching an existing product in the marketplace, or coming up with new and exciting recipes to suit each individual customer’s brief. Once a recipe has been approved by a client, it is then confidential and unique to that customer.

FoodBlenders also manufactures a complete range of gluten-free bakery products, including the Dietary Specials range, which is found in the frozen ready meals section in several major supermarkets.

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.

Andrew Butterwick, Food and Drink iNet director, said he was happy to support FoodBlenders: “With its new BRC award in place, FoodBlenders is really taking off as a company, so we were more than happy to support its development in this way.”

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

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http://www.foodblenders.co.uk/

New manufacturing innovation manager for The Food and Drink Forum

Business support organisation The Food and Drink Forum has appointed Mark Nicholson as its new manufacturing innovation manager.

Mark will operate across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire and Rutland offering support and advice to help the region’s food and drink manufacturers to discover more efficient ways of operating.

Previously an adviser with Business Link Yorkshire and before that a freelance business coach, Mark has spent 17 years in operations, specifically in the food sector. He has worked in the frozen sector for McCain, in confectionery for Needlers, and in fresh produce for MBM.

His role at The Food and Drink Forum includes helping to deliver the second phase of the CHIEFS project in collaboration with Food Processing Faraday and Optimat Ltd. The project, which aims to champion innovation between the engineering and food sectors, is being delivered on behalf of East Midlands Development Agency (emda) with funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

“I am delighted to join The Food and Drink Forum as manufacturing innovation manager,” said Mark.

“I am passionate about helping food and drink businesses to think more creatively, and really enthusiastic about innovative and novel approaches to business improvement.”

Mark’s specialist skills include the use of lean and continuous improvement methods for food businesses, the application of environmental technology, the deployment of motivational/behavioural strategy and systems thinking.

He will be offering support in improving production efficiencies, specifying and purchasing new equipment, managing and delivering turn key engineering projects, process mapping and value stream analysis, waste minimisation and resource efficiency, top team, middle and junior management training, and coaching and mentoring.

Fiona Anderson, managing director of The Food and Drink Forum, which is based at the Business Centre at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham, said: “Mark’s appointment will help The Food and Drink Forum to build on the support that we offer the sector in the East Midlands. Manufacturing efficiencies can bring immediate cost savings, as well as a range of other benefits, and are a popular service that we offer to our members and on a commercial basis to food and drink firms around the region.”

Married with three grown-up children, Mark’s qualifications include a BSc in Human Ecology and an MSc in Food Inspection & Control. He is also a certified trainer in Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) and a licensed facilitator in two psychometric profiling tools.

He loves the great outdoors, enjoys hill walking and his favourite food is curry.

The Food and Drink Forum is one of the region’s largest business support organisations, championing the food and drink sector in the East Midlands through a variety of different ways.

If you are interested in finding out more about The Food and Drink Forum, please visit http://www.foodanddrinkforum.co.uk/ or call 0115 9758810.

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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.

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.

New business advisors join the Food and Drink iNet to support companies in the sector in the East Midlands

Jo Murphy

Catherine Wright

Three new business advisors have been appointed to help food and drink firms in the East Midlands to develop.


The Food and Drink iNet advisors will support companies to implement new ideas, new products and new processes with the aim of helping them to grow their business through innovation.

The Food and Drink iNet has been supporting the sector across the region for more than two years with a team of advisors. But now, for the first time and following the launch of phase two of the Food and Drink iNet, there is a dedicated advisor for each large county in the East Midlands.

“This expansion of the Food and Drink iNet advisory team means that we can build on the advice and support that we offer to businesses working in the food and drink sector in the East Midlands,” said Food and Drink iNet director Andrew Butterwick. “In the current climate, innovation is essential to ensure that the regional food and drink industry continues to develop and remain competitive.

“The support provided by the iNet during the first two years of the project was welcomed by food and drink manufacturers in the region as an original way of supporting and encouraging innovation in the sector in the East Midlands. We intend to build on this in the future via a number of different channels, and are delighted to welcome additional advisors to our team.”

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 new Food and Drink iNet advisors are Jo Murphy, who is covering Northamptonshire, Stevie Jackson, who is supporting businesses in Leicestershire and Rutland, and Catherine Wright, who is covering Nottinghamshire. All have experience of business support and the food and drink sector.

They join iNet advisors Paul Sheppard, who is responsible for support in Derbyshire, and Rachel Linstead, who covers Lincolnshire. Susan Tate, who previously covered Northamptonshire and Leicestershire, has moved to become contract and project manager at the Food and Drink iNet.

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.

Contact an advisor by visiting www.eminnovation.org.uk/food or calling 0845 521 2066.

Derbyshire firm gains contracts after achieving British Retail Consortium accreditation with help from The Food & Drink Forum

A Derbyshire fruit and vegetable supplier and distributor has demonstrated the benefit to businesses of gaining top industry-recognised accreditation by expanding after winning a hat-trick of new contracts.

East Midlands business support organisation The Food and Drink Forum helped John Palin Ltd to gain the British Retail Consortium accreditation.

Now the firm has won three new contracts to supply fruit and vegetables to hundreds of schools in Derbyshire, Derby, and Staffordshire, as well as to the Chatsworth Estate.

It means John Palin Ltd can take on four new staff and invest in four extra vehicles, and illustrates one way that firms can help themselves to expand and flourish in difficult economic times by taking expert, sector-specific advice.

“The value of gaining BRC accreditation to industry-recognised standards can be immense for a business, and I’m delighted to hear that the work The Food and Drink Forum carried out with John Palin Ltd towards accreditation has helped the company to gain new contracts and expand,” said Food and Drink Forum technical manager Richard Wigley.

“Increasingly, large organisations will only do business with firms that have accreditations, so it makes good sense to put the correct systems in place to gain them, just as John Palin has done.

“Their experience illustrates how the Food and Drink Forum can help businesses in the sector to move into new markets, gain new customers, win additional business, and develop, even during challenging economic times.”

John Palin finance manager Ann Newton, who is one of the owners of the company along with her husband David, and Neil and Karina Norman, said: “BRC accreditation was something that we needed to do. All our competitors had BRC accreditation so we knew it was the way forward. Richard Wigley’s knowledge and expertise was invaluable. We are so pleased that we have won new contracts on the back of gaining BRC and that we have been able to take on new staff.”

The firm, based at Tansley near Matlock, has been supplying fruit and vegetables in Derbyshire and beyond for more than 150 years. It supplies to semi-wholesalers, shops, caterers, pubs and restaurants, sandwich manufacturers, prisons and schools within a 150-mile radius, going into counties such as Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, Leicestershire, Staffordshire and Cheshire.

David and Neil had worked for Palins for more than 25 years before a management buy-out in 2004.

The company won the Chatsworth contract last year, to supply the estate and the farm shop. Earlier this year the firm won a contract to supply fresh fruit and vegetables, prepared vegetables and eggs to around 90 Staffordshire schools in the Tamworth and Burton-on-Trent areas.

Now John Palin has learnt that it has been successful in tendering to supply to 235 schools and social care units in Derbyshire and about 100 in Derby city. The firm previously supplied some Derbyshire schools but the new contract marks a significant increase in numbers.

The contracts for the schools and social care units alone will represent approximately £600,000 increase in turnover a year for the company.

“We are delighted to have won three major contracts since achieving our BRC in 2009. It has really opened doors for us, and we are very grateful for the support and expertise provided by The Food and Drink Forum. It’s been invaluable,” said Ann.

The firm has also won a place on the NHS Framework, which means it can bid for NHS contracts in the future.

John Palin employs more than 45 people at its Brookfield Industrial Estate headquarters. The firm achieved BRC certification in food storage and distribution to the highest level after receiving a range of specialist support from Richard.

He helped John Palin to complete a quality and HACCP manual, audited the company before the BRC audit to ensure the firm was compliant, dealt with technical questions from the auditor on the day of the audit, and carried out some HACCP training at the firm.

Richard has continued to support the firm and carries out a regular external audit to ensure that John Palin remains compliant.

The Food and Drink Forum is a membership-led business support organisation which works across the East Midlands and beyond. It is based at Southglade Food Park, Gala Way, Nottingham, and has members across Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Rutland and Northamptonshire.

Firms wanting more information should contact Richard Wigley at The Forum on 0115 9758810 or richard.wigley@foodanddrinkforum.co.uk.