Trade Show
This year’s trade show was our 7th and 5th at the Four Pillars Hotel & Conference Centre, South Cerney.

Member comment:

“I thoroughly enjoyed the Trade Show and found it particularly useful for the following reasons:
It gave me an opportunity to meet up with existing suppliers to place orders for some of our key lines at competitive prices. This of course allows us to drive business further and increase our sales.

There was also the chance to meet up with new suppliers too, which in turn gave me an insight into the latest product ranges, some of which I have not considered listing before. When you are able to meet old and new suppliers face to face it allows you to develop a greater understanding of the market place and the potential for developing new business opportunities you may not have thought were there.

With an ever changing confectionery and beverage market, combined with the rapid expansion of the healthy options sector, it is always good to stay ahead.”
Dafne Drighetto, Zepbrook

There was an excellent turnout of Suppliers and Members and a record 83 stands for Members to visit. To encourage them to visit as many stands as possible we instigated a way for Members to collect a logo sticker from each stand, with 3 winners getting LovetoShop vouchers and each Member who returned a booklet receiving a mobile phone power charger.

1st Prize: Provincial Marketing collected 66 stickers (£100)
2nd Prize: Kentish Match collected 64 stickers (£75)
3rd Prize: Halladeys collected 59 stickers (£50)

New at the Trade Show this year was a Stand Judge, Sally Leaney, whose expertise in design is more often used at shows like the RHS Flower Show. However she adapted her understanding of presentation to our market with ease and came up with creative and in-depth feedback, which will be forwarded to all Suppliers.

1st Prize – Proof Drinks
2nd Whitby Seafoods/J Sykes
3rd Prize – Nutshell

Trade Show Awards Dinner

Our annual Golf event at Cirencester Golf Club, in aid of Cancer Research, was played in lovely spring sunshine. Those who played could be picked out by the healthy glow on their faces!

Again, over 200 diners gathered to enjoy an evening of entertainment and appreciation of achievements through 2015-2016. This year we had a Magician who moved through the tables leaving gasps of disbelief in his wake.

Supplier of the Year 2015 Awards

Retail – Britvic Soft Drinks
Catering – Heinz Foodservice

Green Wholesaler Awards 2016

Overall winner – Kentish Match
Retail winner – Kentish Match
Catering winner - Foodspeed

Golf Prizes

Nearest the Pin – Matt Sommerville – (Pepsico)
Longest Drive – Josh Dixon (Weetabix)
Best Individual – Alan White (Confex)
Best Team – Brian Penkethman (AG Barr), Gary Duncan (LRS), Robin Whitehouse (LRS), Alan White (Confex)

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