Regional food group Heart of England Fine Foods (HEFF) is running a one-day seminar and exhibition for the Midlands food industry next week.

Meanwhile, food and drink professionals across the UK are being invited by Heff to attend its annual free trade event Food, Information, Networking Drink (FIND at Aston Villa Football Club, Birmingham on July 18. Opening with a series of workshops for producers at 8.30am, the programme for buyers, retailers and other non-exhibitors starts at 10.00am, closing at 5.00pm. Confirmed participants include representatives from Budgens and Sainsbury’s.

The Savour the Flavour Showcase Store will be open for browsing between 11.30am - 5.00pm and will display fresh, ambient, chilled and frozen produce from producers in Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Birmingham & the Black Country, Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Visitors are encouraged to browse and taste products at their leisure and will be supplied with enquiry cards to record notes and make enquiries. After a locally sourced lunch and networking, delegates can choose to attend one of three stimulating afternoon seminars from 2.30pm to 3.30pm. ‘Understanding the Food Shopper’, delivered by the Food Chain Centre at IGD looks at the importance of researching target markets and consumer profiling.

Five Meet the Buyer sessions will be held during the event, with buyers from Asda, Birmingham Hippodrome, Aston Villa FC and gourmet food service suppliers Pallas Foods Ireland & UK signed up to meet producers and review products.

FPJ’s Tommy Leighton will be on the panel in one of the day’s seminar sessions.

To register for FIND please complete the online form at www.heff.co.uk

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