An event aimed at fattening-up Britain’s growing army of food and drink start-ups, is set to dish up a rich mouthful of advice from retailers and entrepreneurs at the top of their game.
The Food Exchange is the first in a series of events which will open up opportunities for new businesses to work with the biggest names in UK PLC.
The day-long event on 26 March will see buyers from leading retailers including Sainsbury’s, Selfridges and Ocado alongside a line-up of successful food entrepreneurs who have already placed their products on supermarket shelves.
There will also be a chance to pick up pitching tips from experts, plus Nick Tolley, co-founder of Harris + Hoole telling the story of how he started a successful coffee house, and enticed Tesco to invest in his expansion.
The events are a collaboration between small business network Enterprise Nation and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), and part of the Business Exchange initiative which is aimed at helping small businesses get to the next level.
Enterprise Nation founder Emma Jones said: “Growing a business and scaling production, particularly in the food business, is all about volume. In order to justify volume, you need to secure a contract with a big business.
“This event is aimed at giving start-ups the ingredients they need to get to the next level, through inspiration from people who’ve done it – like Jimmy Cregan founder of Jimmy’s Iced Coffee, practical pitching tips direct from supermarket and department store buyers, packaging, branding and marketing tips – as well as useful names for the contacts book.”
The event is set to be held at The Bakery in City Road and will hear from food business marketing experts Jellybean Creative.
For tickets click here
About Enterprise Nation
Enterprise Nation is a small business network with more than 75,000 members. Its aim is to help people turn their good ideas into great businesses – through expert advice, events, networking and inspiring books. Enterprise Nation was founded in 2005 by Emma Jones MBE also co-founder of StartUp Britain.
Agenda
The Food Exchange
Cooking up Success with Enterprise Nation and The Bakery
26th March
10am to 5pm
9.00 – 9.45am: Registration
9.45am: Welcome from Enterprise Nation and The Bakery
10.00am: Buyers in the Bakery
Buyers from Sainsbury’s offer their pitching tips
10.30am: Small business panel
Esther of Tea Huggers, Muddy Boots, Lucy Woodhouse from new children’s iced lolly firm Claudi & Fin and Kuldip Singh Sahota from curry sauce company Mr Singh’s, tell their stories
11.15am: How I made it
Nick Tolley, MD, Harris + Hoole
11.45am: coffee!
12.00: Pitch Tips
Bruce McMichael
12.30pm: Jimmy!
Jimmy’s Iced Coffee founder Jimmy Cregan talks about how he took his iced coffee dreams and turned them into a thriving new business
1pm: Lunch
2pm: The Bakery Bunch
Heinz, Dannone talk about their involvement with The Bakery incubator
2.30pm: Buyers in the Bakery
Buyers from Fortnum & Mason, Harvey Nicks, Selfridges
3.00pm: Press Panel
Journalists offer what they’re after
3.30pm: Selling via the Street & Festivals
Mike Egerton Urban Food Fest, Crispin Slee Towcester Food Festival
4.00pm: Raising money
Crowdfunder, Virgin StartUp and Jam Jar Investment
5.00pm Live tasting & networking