South Devon to host landmark food and drink summit

A special food and drink summit is being organised for South Devon businesses.

The summit for the South West’s dynamic food and drink community, ‘Gather’, will take place on Wednesday June 11 at The Forum, University of Exeter (9:15am to 4:30pm).

The landmark one day summit, brought together by stakeholders from Food Drink Devon in collaboration with the University of Exeter and supported by Buddy Creative and Maia Growth, will assemble academics with producers, retailers, hospitality businesses, farmers, suppliers and industry experts from across the South West to explore the challenges and opportunities facing the sector. ‘Gather’ aims to empower the sector to reach new heights, drive success, champion sustainability and build resilience for a prosperous future.

Sessions from leading keynote speakers will cover areas including marketing and branding, insights and innovation, sales and routes to market, growth, technology, raising finance and people. In addition, there’ll also be food stands and producer showcases, offering valuable networking opportunities for attendees throughout the day.

Greg Parsons, Chair of Food Drink Devon, said on the launch of ‘Gather’: “To stand out in today’s competitive food and drink sector, success goes beyond great products or service. Effective branding, compelling storytelling and a connection to customers’ increasing desire for sustainability, quality and innovation are essential”.

He added: "Food Drink Devon has been working incredibly closely with the University of Exeter, bringing together the valuable insights and experiences of academia and business owners. ‘Gather’ takes our partnership to a completely new level through combining the expertise of both academics and those from industry. The event has been designed to inspire the food and drink community and give attendees the knowledge and strategies needed to thrive in a rapidly changing industry.  It’s also a chance to bring people together, share ideas and spark fresh thinking and is about helping South West food and drink to not just keep up, but to stand out”.