Local exporters have registered strong interest in participating in the Food & Drink Expo at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham, England from March 21 to 24, after taking part in a business information forum staged by Jamaica Trade and Invest (JTI/JAMPRO) on February 4.

JTI has facilitated the participation of Jamaican exporters at the Expo in previous years; however, this year’s event has added significance, as the agency seeks to leverage the popularity of Jamaica’s brand image ahead of the 2012 Olympics in London, England. JTI is focused on generating greater awareness of high quality Jamaican products, stimulating increased consumer demand and securing trade leads with good prospects for conversion.

Birmingham will be the host city for Jamaica’s Olympic training camp, and the City Council has expressed an interest in collaborating with JTI in engaging the Jamaican/Caribbean Diaspora in Birmingham and possibly co-hosting a Brand Jamaica event during the week of the Expo.

Berletta Forrester, Export Promotion Manager at JTI, the Expo presents an excellent opportunity for local exporters to showcase their products in JTI’s Brand Jamaica booth, with a view to entering the UK market or expanding their presence there.

Attracting over 23,000 buyers, including representatives from supermarkets, restaurants, hotels and specialty food outlets, and some 600 exhibiting companies from 40 different countries, the Food & Drink Expo is the largest and most influential event of its kind in the UK. According to Berletta Forrester, Export Promotion Manager at JTI, the Expo presents an excellent opportunity for local exporters to showcase their products in JTI’s Brand Jamaica booth, with a view to entering the market or expanding their presence there.

“Unique brands will be incorporated within the Brand Jamaica booth and will result in an integrated display that will also feature the sights and sounds of Jamaica, images of our world-renowned icons, meeting areas and product sampling.

Local exporters listen intently at the business information forum staged by Jamaica Trade and Invest (JTI/JAMPRO) on February 4. The forum provided information on the upcoming Food & Drink Expo inBirmingham, England.

“The UK is the largest ethnic food market in the European Union, valued at £1.49 billion in 2008 and projected to experience further growth in the coming years based on research by the UK-based market research firm Key Note Publications. Caribbean food has been identified as one of the fastest growing segments of the ethnic food sector and we expect that our innovative products will attract buyer interest at the Expo,” stated Forrester.

Exporters interested in participating in the Expo can contact JTI’s Export Promotion Department, and further information on the event can be found at www.foodanddrinkexpo.co.uk.