With the Scottish Wholesale Association’s 2019 Annual Conference less than two months away, details of the event’s first-ever Producers’ Exhibition – a collaboration with industry organisation Scotland Food & Drink – have been unveiled.
The exhibition, part of the new SWA conference initiative Keeping Scotland Local, will provide up to 20 local producers and suppliers – some of them shortlisted in the Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards taking place in Edinburgh on 23 May – with an opportunity to meet buyers, decision-makers and owners of SWA member wholesalers.
Three areas of focus for this year’s conference are: technology, incorporating training; Scotland’s future growth opportunities; and food trends.
Speakers confirmed for the business sessions include Paul Miller, Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Fife-based distillery and brewery Eden Mill; Matt Goddard, Wholesale Trading Director at PepsiCo; Marc Crothall, Chief Executive of the Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA); and Jill Livesey, Managing Director of industry research and insights specialist, HIM.
The conference will also hear from Dawood Pervez, Managing Director of Bestway Wholesale; Colin McLean, Chief Executive of Dundee-based Spar wholesaler CJ Lang; and Chieh Huang, Chief Executive of the US-based online wholesaler Boxed.
Ross Mackay, Co-Founder of Daring Foods, a Glasgow-based start-up selling plant-based meat alternatives which secured its first distribution deal with Lomond Wholesale earlier this year, will also present along with Nigel Holmes, Chief Executive of the Scottish Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Association and Fiona Speakman, Client Director, CGA.
The 2019 Annual SWA Conference – entitled What’s Next? – will once again incorporate several panel discussions with business sessions designed to enable greater business-building opportunities between members.
The new Friday format will also include a business-building and network event where wholesalers and suppliers can meet and share information during interactive sessions.
All queries about the conference, which takes place at Crieff Hydro (pictured) from 31 May to 2 June, should be directed to Jo Mathieson on 0131 556 8753 or joanne@scottishwholesale.co.uk.
