INVEST NI HELPS FOOD COMPANIES GO LIVE IN LONDON

Food and drink products from 18 local companies are being marketed by Invest Northern Ireland at a new snack and convenience foods showcase in London this weekend. The products will feature on an Invest NI, Northern Ireland Naturally presentation at the OOH, (Out of Home) Live show, at the Earls Court exhibition centre from 9-10 November. OOH Live is a new trade show which is exclusively aimed to appeal to every operator involved in the ???food to go??? brunch, lunch, and snacking markets. More than 200 companies from the UK, Ireland, and Europe are taking part in the show, including international brands such as Britvic, Coca-Cola, GlaxoSmithKline, Douwe Egbert, Cafedirect and McCain Foods. The Northern Ireland display features a very broad range of snack and convenience foods including pies, fruit, cakes, tea and yoghurt. All 18 companies have provided samples for the Invest NI presentation. OOH Live is a targeted business exhibition featuring leading suppliers with live demonstrations and two industry awards, including the Craft Bakery of the Year Award. Maynard Mawhinney, Invest NI's Food Director said, ???We are taking part in this new trade show because it is geared to a rapidly developing marketplace which offers huge opportunities for smaller Northern Ireland food and drink companies in particular. The organisers are also targeting key decision makers within the sector and it's likely that this inaugural event will command significant interest. ???Our participation is a further example of our commitment to assist local food and drink companies to market their products to as many market segments as possible. As well as niche sector exhibitions, we will be assisting companies to explore business opportunities at major exhibitions, including next year's International Food Exhibition (IFE) in London. ???Our product presentations at new or established niche exhibitions, also reflects our recognition that smaller companies often have limited resources for participation in such events. The Invest NI Food Team at OOH Live will deal with inquiries from potential customers and refer leads back to the Northern Ireland companies for follow up.??? Northern Ireland Products on Show at OOH Live in London from 9-10 November 2008 Braeside Country Pies, Armagh ??" apple pies Corn Dolly, Newry ??" cakes Clandeboye Yoghurt, Bangor ??" yoghurt Cottage Catering, Comber ??" desserts Dale Farm, Belfast ??" cheese, yoghurt and fruit drinks Davisons Canners, Dungannon ??" fruit compotes Good4U, Cookstown ??" healthy snack foods including brocco shoots Galfees, Strabane ??" sandwiches, salads and cooked meats Howell House, Craigavon ??" cakes and biscuits Koka Chocolates, Newtownabbey ??" handmade chocolates McColgan's Foods, Strabane ??" pies and quiches Millar Savoury Foods, Eglinton ??" scotch eggs, jumbo burgers and sausages Norbev, Ballymena ??" contract bottling Punjana, Belfast ??" tea Steves Cakes, Antrim ??" cakes and tray bakes Tasty Foods Cuisine, Belfast ??" convenience meals and sauces White's, Tandragee ??" porridge oats and toasted oat snacks Wilson's Country, Craigavon ??" fruit and vegetable snacks