A thousand food and drink founders – from fledgling start-ups to Food and Drink’s biggest names – will descend upon the Institute of Directors in Pall Mall on October 6th and 7th.
Their mission is to savour Bread & Jam’s ground-breaking agenda of talks, workshops, panels and meet-the- buyer sessions that tackle the five biggest issues faced by food and drink SMEs.
Industry expert Bread & Jam surveyed UK food and drink companies to identify and provide solutions to the most common entry and growth barriers within the marketplace. The top five issues raised were:
● Money – funding your business and cash flow
● Successful crowdfunding – to launch or grow your business
● Retail – contacting buyers and getting your products to market
● E-commerce – reaching millions of customers with one click
● Exporting – cashing in on ‘brand British’
To help independent producers overcome these hurdles at every stage of their business journey, founders Tara Mei and Jason Gibb return with Bread & Jam, now in its second year. With 30+ talks, workshops and industry panels plus a speaker line-up of successful entrepreneurs including Renée Elliot (Planet Organic), Dan Germain (Innocent), Pippa Murray (Pip & Nut), Loyd Grossman and Guka Tavberidze (Savsé), SMEs get direct access to industry experts sharing invaluable knowledge that will help them to navigate these top 5 problems:
Money – ‘Building a Business on a Shoestring’ details how to build a killer business when your bank balance is empty, and ‘Ideas to Shelf’ will teach you how to prepare for and raise the cash you need to grow.
Successful crowdfunding
‘Crowdfunding for Food Start-Ups’ shares the secrets behind choosing the right platform for your product and the key hacks needed for a successful round of equity crowdfunding.
Retail
‘Getting Your First Retailer’ provides proven techniques to get your foot in the door and secure your first major listing.
E-commerce
‘New Channels: Taking on E-commerce’ explains why online sales are an essential channel for 70% of food and drink SMEs, and provides plenty of strategies for nailing this route to market.
Exporting
‘How to Export Your Food and Drink Brand to the Gulf Region’ will offer practical advice about the food and drink landscape in one of the fastest growing export markets.
Jason Gibb, food entrepreneur and Bread & Jam co-founder said: “Nine out of 10 food start-ups will fail within 2 years. Luckily most of the issues they face are easy to solve, and so the aim of Bread & Jam is to equip small producers with the practical tools, skills and opportunities they need to sky-rocket their business.”
“Bread & Jam is THE event to go to if you want a cash course on how to navigate the world of FMCG from the industry’s best people,” said Pippa Murray, founder of nut butter sensation, Pip & Nut.
“I wish Bread & Jam was around 6 years when we started Joe & Seph’s – it’s a great way to learn about the industry and gain invaluable tips to take away and use in your own business,” said Adam Sopher, co-founder of gourmet popcorn brand Joe & Seph’s.
www.breadandjamfest.com
