Catering and Hospitality Expo for the East Midlands food and drink sector

Organisers of a trade show dedicated to the East Midlands food and drink sector say they have been bowled over by the enthusiasm of the region’s food and drink industry.

Catering and Hospitality Expo is taking place in Nottingham for the first time on September 19th and 20th.

Aimed at introducing those in the hospitality trade to new suppliers, the event is targeted at trade visitors only and is expected to feature more than 90 exhibitors.

The organisers of the event, Consortium of Events and Tourism Limited, have teamed up with regional business support organisation The Food and Drink Forum, who have helped recruit exhibitors from across Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, Rutland and Northamptonshire to the regional section of the show and also as general exhibitors.

“There’s been a real spark in Nottingham,” said a spokesman for the Consortium of Events and Tourism Limited. “There’s a real buzz that we haven’t seen for a while.

“We have been bowled over by the enthusiasm from local suppliers. Last time we had this much excitement was the first ever event in Blackpool, which saw over 4,000 attendees and we see no reason why Nottingham can’t exceed this. Nottingham has excelled itself and we are really looking forward to the show.

“It shows that despite the recession and tough times, hospitality is still alive and kicking in Nottingham.”

The two-day event at Nottingham Racecourse, Colwick, is expected to appeal to those who run restaurants, cafés, bars, pubs, clubs, guest houses, hotels and other hospitality and catering outlets, as well as large organisations that run canteens and provide food for staff and visitors.

It is the perfect chance for those in the catering and hospitality trade to source new ideas, products and suppliers, said Fiona Anderson, managing director of The Food and Drink Forum.

The Food and Drink Forum, which is based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham, and operates across the East Midlands, is managing the area that showcases regional products.

Catering and Hospitality Expo has been held at various venues around the UK over a number of years, and has attracted thousands of trade visitors from across the country, but this is the first time that it has been held in Nottingham.

Exhibitors are expected to include local and national companies, food service providers, catering companies, equipment suppliers, restaurants, hotels, hospitality organisations, top chefs, industry services and manufacturers and producers wanting to sell into the catering and hospitality sector.

Entry to the event is free for those in the food and drink industry.

Collections will be taken for the Children’s Air Ambulance.

www.foodanddrinkforum.co.uk

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

Tickets on sale for 2012 Food and Drink iNet Innovation Awards

Tickets have now gone on sale for the 2012 Food and Drink iNet Innovation Awards ceremony which is regarded as one of the highlights of the food and drink sector calendar in the East Midlands.

Comedian Ian Moore will be hosting this year’s ceremony, which takes place at Athena in Leicester on November 15th.

Ian, pictured, who has toured with the likes of Jack Dee and Lee Evans, made such an impact in the sell-out Britcom show at Montreal’s Just For Laughs that he was invited to headline the festival's finale.

The Innovation Awards, which are being held for the fifth year, recognise and reward the brightest ideas in the East Midlands’ food and drink sector.

Judges are now going through the award entries, with the short-listed companies and organisations expected to be announced soon.

“Over the past few years our Innovation Awards have shone the spotlight on some excellent work in the food and drink sector in the region in terms of innovation,” said Food and Drink iNet director Richard Worrall. “Innovation is a key building block to growth. We are looking forward to hearing about details of some of the latest projects, and to sharing them with the sector at the Innovation Awards ceremony in November.

“The evening is also the perfect chance to network and catch up with colleagues from across the East Midlands.”

There are four award categories this year – the Clegg Food Projects Ltd Business Growth Award, the Nottingham Trent University New Product Development Award, the Positive Impact Award, and the Collaboration Award, with the overall winner crowned the Campden BRI Innovation Champion 2012.

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.

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 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

Tickets for the Innovation Awards cost £69.50 plus vat per person, with discounts for members of the Food and Drink Forum, and are available by contacting the events team on 0115 9758810.

Some sponsoring, table hosting and exhibiting opportunities are available for the event. Contact the events team for details.

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

Special wedding cake created by Luke Evans Bakery

Derbyshire bakery Luke Evans has designed and created its biggest wedding cake so far this year… for managing director David Yates and operations director Helen Waterfall.

The couple chose a five-tier cake as the centrepiece of their wedding reception after tying the knot at Shirland Church, near Alfreton.

The fruit cakes were decorated with a completely different intricate design on each tier by the team at Luke Evans Bakery, in Riddings, which has been baking bread and cakes for more than 200 years.

Real avalanche roses in white were placed in between the tiers.

“We were absolutely thrilled by the wedding cake,” said Helen. “Our team did a great job. They’d been feeding the cake brandy for the past four months and it was beautiful.”

The five-tier cake was the largest created by Luke Evans Bakery this year, which makes an average of four wedding cakes a month.

David and Helen, who live in Shirland, had their reception at Morley Hayes Hotel, near Derby, surrounded by family and friends after marrying on August 24th.

Luke Evans Bakery sells direct to the public from its shop in Greenhill Lane, Riddings, and also supplies around 300 trade and wholesale customers across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire, including shops, cafes, schools, delis and Pride Park - the home of Derby County Football Club.

Fully trained craft bakers operate 24 hours a day turning out breads, cakes and savoury products from farmhouse loaves and bread rolls to fresh cream éclairs and iced buns.

The bakery has been providing wedding cakes to happy couples across Derbyshire for decades.

For more information visit www.lukeevans.co.uk

Photo courtesy of Martyn Dudley Studio, Ripley.

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

Anila’s Authentic Sauces gains Selfridges listing

Premium curry sauce producer Anila’s Authentic Sauces has won a listing in the food hall at Selfridges.

The London store is taking six curry sauces, four pickles and three chutneys from the Anila’s range.

Anila Vaghela, who runs Anila’s Authentic Sauces and is celebrating 20 years in the business during 2012, is taking part in sampling sessions at Selfridges on September 6th and 12th as a Great Taste Award winner.

She said: “I am very pleased that Anila’s Authentic Sauces has gained a place on the shelves at Selfridges with a selection of products – giving our loyal customers another place to buy from.”

Since 2005, Anila’s has won Great Taste Awards for a number of products, including its Goan Green Curry Sauce, the Spicy Mild Curry Sauce and the Spicy Korma Curry Sauce.

Most recently the firm’s Hot Mango Pickle struck gold in the 2012 Great Taste Awards by winning a gold star rating.

Regarded as the ‘Oscars’ of the fine food industry, it was the 12th Great Taste Award won by Anila’s Authentic Sauces, which is based in Walton, Surrey, with a production unit in Hounslow.

The news about Selfridges comes as Anila’s Fruity Mild Curry Sauce was short-listed in Cook Vegetarian magazine’s Veggie Awards.

Anila’s produces eight concentrated curry sauces, which are free from artificial colours, additives and preservatives, are sugar, dairy and gluten free, contain no onion or garlic, and are suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

The firm also produces a wide range of chutneys, pickles and dips which are made with single fruits and vegetables, and natural ingredients.

This year Anila’s launched a new Spicy Indian Salsa to mark 20 years since Anila sold her first curry sauce at a local fair in Surrey.

Anila’s Authentic Sauces supplies hundreds of outlets that include speciality food halls, garden centres, delis, farm shops, gift shops and also health stores.

The firm also sells direct to the public at farmers’ markets and at food shows and festivals as well as online via www.anilassauces.com

Products are on sale at places like Harrods, Selfridges, John Lewis Oxford Street and Bluewater, Chatsworth Farm Shop, and Booths in Penrith and Manchester.

Visit www.anilassauces.com for more information.

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

Coffee company Cherizena gets a boost from the Food and Drink iNet

A grant from the Food and Drink iNet has helped specialist coffee supplier Cherizena to gain new customers.

The iNet provided a match-funded grant to the Leicestershire-based business to help the company create a new e-commerce website linked to a full-colour label printer.

Amongst other things, this allowed the company to offer bespoke printed labels to its trade customers wanting their own-label coffees to sell in shops.

Within weeks of setting up the system, Cherizena bagged its first new trade customer – a new deli opening in Blackburn which wanted to offer its own-label coffee.

“The grant from the Food and Drink iNet has been great news for Cherizena and is starting to pay dividends for the company already,” said owner Kate Jones. “Not only have we been able to create a much more comprehensive e-shop to sell to our mail order consumer customers via our new website www.cherizena.co.uk, we’ve also been able to offer tailor-made colour printed labels to our trade customers, as well as improve the quality and variety of our own labels.

“I’d like to thank the iNet for its support, as well as advisor Stevie Jackson who’s been very helpful with a number of suggestions of ways in which we can develop Cherizena further and potentially tap into new markets.”

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 awarded Cherizena with a grant of just over £3,000, which the company match-funded.

Advisor Stevie Jackson said: “I’m very pleased to hear that Cherizena is already reaping the benefits of the Food and Drink iNet support and hope that the company continues to go from strength to strength.”

Cherizena, which is based at Wartnaby near Melton Mowbray, has been run by Kate Jones and husband Tom since 2005.

The company supplies speciality, premium and flavoured coffee direct to the public via its website and also by attending shows and events around the country. It also sells to trade customers including shops, bars, restaurants and cafés.

The company offers up to 30 single origin coffees and blends, and 20 different flavoured varieties. It is a leading UK specialist producer of coffee, and sources premium, rare and speciality coffees, as well as creating its own range of flavoured coffees.

The new e-commerce website is more sophisticated than Cherizena’s previous website, and the company hopes it will help to expand markets and develop the business.

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

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

Food and Drink iNet offers free business support to East Midlands food and drink firms

Food and drink firms across the East Midlands are being urged to take advantage of free business support available from the Food and Drink iNet.

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 region.

The first element of that support is to meet and discuss business needs and provide impartial advice and guidance on how to grow through innovation. It can then lead to accessing grants and specialist expertise.

Since 2008, the iNet has given hundreds of hours of free advice to food and drink manufacturing firms across Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland, which has led to innovation projects being launched.

The iNet is urging established small and medium-sized companies who work across the supply chain to get in touch to find out more about the help on offer.

“The free one-to-one initial support for food and drink businesses provides tailored advice and guidance to help companies find their route to growth,” said Food and Drink iNet director Richard Worrall.

“Our advisors are experienced in supporting firms and have a strong network of industry and academic contacts. This means they can signpost businesses to relevant information, expertise and guidance. They can also give information about match-funded grants for innovation that are available to eligible companies.”

In the past, the iNet has provided free ‘business assist’ support to a wide range of companies including bakers, butchers, chocolate makers, snack manufacturers, ice cream makers, and drinks manufacturers, as well as businesses that ‘supply into’ the sector, such as workwear specialists, consultants who work in the food and drink industry and those who manufacture items for the sector.

The one-to-one support aims to help the firms to bring their innovation ideas to life.

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 or contact the iNet on info@foodanddrink-inet.org.uk

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

Rochester Cathedral project for Focus Consultants

Heritage and regeneration experts Focus Consultants has won a contract to act as buildings project manager on a £3 million project to conserve and repair England’s second oldest cathedral.

A team from Nottingham-based Focus, which has branches in London, Leicester, Lincoln and Boston, has been appointed as building project managers and quantity surveyors on the scheme at Rochester Cathedral, which was founded in 604.

The project will introduce new visitor displays in the crypt and library, whilst improving access to these atmospheric spaces, and showcase the cathedral’s jewel in the crown - the Textus Roffensis. Older and possibly more significant than the Magna Carta, the manuscript is currently locked away in the archives of Medway Council but the project will give this important piece of history a new home.

“This is an incredibly sensitive project, bearing in mind that Rochester Cathedral is a place of worship and the second oldest cathedral in the country,” said Steven Fletcher, partner at Focus Consultants.

“Our project manager Ellie Clarke and the whole Focus team are honoured to be conserving it for future generations and helping the public enjoy such a fascinating building. The 12th Century Textus Roffensis is a priceless and irreplaceable manuscript, soon to take its place in the cathedral’s treasury.”

The Rochester Cathedral project is the latest heritage and ecclesiastical scheme spearheaded by Focus Consultants, based at Phoenix Business Park, Nottingham. Others include Lincoln Cathedral Old Palace, St. Margarets in Bradford, Nottingham’s St. Martha’s the Housewife and Greyfriars Tower, King’s Lynn.

Design work is now underway on the Rochester Cathedral scheme, which has received Heritage Lottery Funding. Work is expected to start on site during the summer of 2013, with completion expected in March 2014.

Focus Consultants specialises in creative approaches to securing funding packages and delivering high quality projects across the Midlands and the UK. Focus has secured more than £800 million of grant assistance, and delivered more than £1 billion of projects and programmes since 1994.

www.focus-consultants.co.uk

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