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Food
from Britain (FFB) has announced the next phase of its plan to help
food and drink exporters ahead of the organisation's closure in its
current form in March 2009. In conjunction with the Food and Drink
Federation (FDF), FFB has launched a webpage - www.fdf.org.uk/exports
- which signposts other organisations that offer export support to
British food and drink companies.
Designed to aid
current and prospective food and drink exporters, the webpage covers
key areas of activity formerly carried out by FFB: UK-based support,
In-market support; the British pavilion at international food and
drink trade shows and publications. The webpage will be available at www.foodfrombritain.com
from April 2009, in order to ensure that companies unaware of FFB's
closure are able to locate remaining support.
Resources for
Exporters highlights which trade organisations companies based in
England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales can turn to for support
and advice on how to develop their businesses internationally.
In-market support
offers information about the in-market support that the Food from
Britain International network and UK Trade and Investment can provide
to British food and drink manufacturers. Business for the Food from
Britain International network will continue as usual after the
closure of FFB in the UK.
Information about
the future of support for exporters on the British pavilion and
international food and drink trade shows is also detailed on the
website. UK Trade and Investment recently announced that
responsibility for the British pavilion at key international trade
shows previously handled by FFB has been passed over to a selection
of experienced show organisers.
Companies
interested in accessing Food from Britain's publications can continue
to do so at the UK Trade and Investment's website. Information on how
this can be found is in the Publications section of the new
FDF-hosted webpage.
Commenting on the
new signposting webpage, John Adams, Chief Executive Officer at Food
from Britain said: "Since the decision was taken in March
2008 to close FFB on 31 March 2009, we have worked hard to map out
the future landscape of support that will be available to exporters
after that date. Our aim is to ensure that companies wishing to
expand their overseas business are directed to organisations that can
help them. We want to emphasise the fact that there will be support
for anyone in the food and drink industry that wants to either start
or continue to export their products and that this is how you go
about it. The fact that the webpage will be available via www.foodfrombritain.com
will ensure that companies unaware of FFB's closure are not left in
the dark about remaining support."
Julian Hunt, FDF
Director of Communications added: "Food from Britain has
provided an invaluable service to the UK's food and drink industry
over the years and we will all be sad to see the organisation close.
However, exporting will continue and we are here to show current and
future exporters the way forward. Whilst no body could ever replace
the decades of specialist knowledge acquired by the FFB team, we hope
that we can go some way to reassuring exporters that, while the
services may be a little more fragmented, help is still at hand as
and when it is required."
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