Cork Food Forum 2011: A unique Networking & Knowledge Event for Cork Food
Cork Food Forum 2011, which takes place in the Rochestown Park Hotel, Douglas, Cork on Monday, 7th November, 2011 already has 120 participants registered with up to 300 expected. It is aimed at SME food companies, food distributors, food retailers, Chefs, executives in food marketing, manufacturing and technical areas of the food industry.
Simon Coveney, Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine will officially open a unique ‘networking and knowledge’ event that will take place at the Rochestown Park Hotel on 7th November.
The Minister will join some of Ireland’s top food industry experts from the areas of retail, marketing, business development, food science and food technology, as they gather to address the Cork Food Forum 2011.
The event is the next in a series of highly successful ‘food forum’ seminars that offer Cork food businesses an unrivalled opportunity to network, exchange knowledge, develop new food business ideas and find new markets for their products.
The Cork Food Forum is an initiative that was launched by the Cork City and County Enterprise Boards in 2009. The functions have been run in association with Bullseye Food Marketing.
In addition to the Minister’s opening address, speakers on the evening will include: Pauline Browne, Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland; Ella McSweeney, RTÉ broadcast journalist (Ear to the Ground, Countrywide etc.) and Tadhg O’Donovan, Sales and Marketing Manager at Glenilen Farm.
Assistant CEO at West Cork Enterprise Board, Deirdre O'Mahony, says it’s hoped that a semi-structured event format will encourage discussion and debate:
“We’re delighted to have such an excellent line-up of speakers – industry figures who will be able to offer a superb insight into emerging opportunities and challenges within the sector. Previous Cork Food Forum events have been extremely engaging, with members of the local food business community participating in one-to-one networking, as well as group discussion.
The Cork Food Forum combines an agenda of guest speakers followed by a Q&A session. The semi-structured event format is designed to encourage discussion and debate, while also acting as a vital platform for expanding attendees’ all-important professional networks.”
As part of the Cork Food Forum 2011, a group of ambitious food entrepreneurs, who are in the final stages of the Cork County Enterprise Boards’ Advanced Food Development Programme 2011, will showcase their recently-launched product ranges.
Seán O’Sullivan, CEO of the South Cork Enterprise Board, says he’s delighted to welcome the programme participants to the event:
“The Advanced Food Development Programme 2011 is a progressive training initiative which has focused on providing targeted food business workshops and one-to-one expert mentoring sessions. Over a period of six months, the food entrepreneurs from across Co. Cork also participated in trade events and met with retail buyers. We’re now preparing to offer the 2012 programme so the Cork Food Forum provides the perfect occasion for emerging food businesses to meet with the 2011 group and discover what products they’ve developed during the programme.
Other exhibitors will include BIM (Bord Iascaigh Mhara), retailers, local and national distributors and packaging and ingredient suppliers.”
In addition, Cork Food Forum 2011 will mark the official launch of the new Cork Food Finder directory, a publication that aims to boost sales of local produce. The comprehensive guide to County Cork food and drink products will be launched by Minister Coveney.
The Cork Food Forum is a completely free food sector event. However, advance event registration is essential.
N.B. For more information and to pre-register for the Cork Food Forum, please log-on to:
http://www.wceb.ie/Training-&-Online-Booking