South West regional conference approaches

A South West regional conference dedicated to the food and drink industry will take place next week (16 April) as part of this year's Exeter Festival of South West Food and Drink.

The half-day conference, aimed at food, drink and tourism businesses as well as interested consumers and educators in the region, will feature a programme of high profile speakers and industry experts.

Organised by the Exeter Festival of South West Food and Drink Ltd, the event will take place in the Festival's Cookery Theatre. Conference speakers will be covering issues relevant to food and tourism, food and farming, food and the environment, and food and education.

The conference will be chaired by Donald Sloan, Head of Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism at Oxford Brookes University and Chair of Oxford Gastronomica, the Centre for Food, Drink and Culture.

Guy Watson of Riverford Organics, and Peter Greig of Piper's Farm, will present Food and Farming case study profiles about their own business experiences, examining in particular the importance of communicating information and knowledge to the public utilising both traditional and new media. Meanwhile Patrick McCaig of the Ottery Brewery will outline the company's new eco-brewery, and discuss why businesses today need to be aware and proactive about environmental and socially responsible issues.

Michael Caines MBE, the driving force behind both the conference and the Festival said: "I'm delighted that we have attracted such a high-calibre collection of speakers who can address this important topic in an intelligent and thought provoking manner.

"In whatever sector of business that we are in, from farmers and producers, to those in the tourism and hospitality industry, the importance today of conveying knowledge and information about the ways we conduct our activities has never been greater. Consumers and the public need and want to know more about what they are buying into in order to be able to distinguish, and to make intelligent decisions about the foods they buy, what to eat and drink, and where and what to visit."

Marc Millon, conference director, added: "We live in an Information Age. In these difficult and uncertain times, there has never been more public interest in, or a greater need for, taste education and knowledge. This Conference addresses concerns that are of real relevance not only to businesses but to any who are interested in the quality of food and drink and also the way we lead our lives."

Tickets for the conference, which will begin at 1.00pm, are £10 (£5 for producers attending the Festival). After the conference, all delegates are invited to meet in the VIP area of The Castle prior to the official launch of the Exeter Festival of South West Food and Drink the same evening.

Words: Maria Bracken

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