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Milk Link and Tesco are amongst this year’s high profile speakers all set to present at The Chartered Institute of Marketing’s South West Food and Drink Conference. The annual event is being held on Wednesday 24 March 2010 and will explore a variety of digital marketing issues within the food, drink and agriculture sector.
With the number of consumers shopping online within a two week period for food and drink set to double from 36% by 2014 (source: IGD prediction), online food and drink marketing will become a critical driving force for food and drink businesses in the region. The time is now for local producers, processors, retailers and marketers to get ahead of the game through innovation and effective marketing techniques.
Hosted by The Chartered Institute of Marketing, over 60 food and drink retailers, producers and marketers are expected to flock to the conference at the Royal Agricultural College in Gloucestershire. The mid afternoon and evening event will explore the practical implications and issues surrounding online food and drink marketing from branding online and local sourcing methods to securing payment safely.
John Giles, chair of the Institute’s Food, Drink and Agriculture Group, will present the opening address which will be followed by presentations from Hamish Renton of Milk Link and Jo Wren, a member of the local food source team and marketing manager at Tesco.com.
Additional speakers who will examine issues of selling online successfully include Lloyds’ commercial expert Malcolm Rosier and Dom Lane of PR firm Bray Leino. Successful case studies of online initiatives will be presented by Marcus Carter, managing director at Virtual Farmers Market and a joint presentation by John Taylerson, the Institute’s South West Ambassador for the Food, Drink and Agriculture Group and Rob Taylerson of Real Time Audio Limited.
John Taylerson explains: “All businesses in the food, drink and agriculture industry, from SMEs to larger organisations, need to look again at marketing through channels that reflect consumers’ needs and trends. This year’s theme reflects a need for advice and support in this area. We have key industry figures speaking on how South West businesses might explore and create profitable opportunities from marketing food and drink online.”
The Chartered Institute of Marketing’s South West Food and Drink Conference takes place on Wednesday 24 March 2010 from 15:00 until 19:00 at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, Gloucestershire.
For booking information and further information contact the Institute’s region and branch events team on 01628 427340 or email cimevents@cim.co.uk. Alternatively book direct at www.cim.co.uk/events.
