Auckland businesses eye up Fine Food Australia

Media release

15 September 2015

Auckland businesses eye up Fine Food Australia

Four innovative Auckland food and beverage businesses are set to take a big step in their exporting plans later this month when they take part in Australia’s leading food and beverage trade show.

Fine Food Australia is Australia’s largest food industry event, with more than 1,000 exhibitors from more than 45 other countries displaying new and innovative products to an audience of 25,000 people.

Auckland businesses Culley’s, Clevedon Valley Buffalo Company, Genevieve’s and CleanPaleo will exhibit at Fine Food Australia – which is taking place in Sydney from 20-23 September – supported by Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED).

Patrick McVeigh, ATEED General Manager Business, Innovation & Skills, says they will have a great opportunity at Fine Food Australia to make international connections in the food and beverage space.

“Fine Food Australia is attended by major Australian distributors, major purchasers such as airlines and food service companies, and buyers from around the world. The four Auckland businesses we are supporting will be able to make important contacts in offshore markets.”

“The food and beverage sector is one of Auckland’s most exciting and fastest growing sectors, and will be an important source of GDP growth for our region. ATEED helps generate this growth by working directly with Auckland food and beverage businesses to support them on their journey to export.”

ATEED has supported each of the four Auckland businesses attending Fine Food Australia in different ways, ranging from securing local suppliers and mentors with food exporting experience to administering business capability and research and development funding.

Each of the companies has also previously exhibited at The Food Show in Auckland as part of ATEED’s ‘Auckland on the Menu’ pop-up exhibition space, while two of the companies have used The FoodBowl – Te Ipu Kai – a joint venture involving ATEED and Callaghan Innovation – to develop and manufacture their products.

Chris Cullen, owner and founder of Culley's, has used The FoodBowl to test and produce award-winning hot sauce varieties. He says: "ATEED has provided fantastic support for my business and offers a host of services geared toward scalable growth.

“ATEED’s assistance to my business and the other businesses taking part in Fine Food Australia is another great example of how it can support growing businesses to make the leap across the ditch and showcase their products at key shows and events."

Patrick McVeigh continues: “By helping Auckland businesses to attend shows like Fine Food Australia, we are able to connect them with international buyers from a diverse range of industries looking for new product and help them grow.

“The businesses taking part in Fine Food Australia are export ready, offer exciting new products and have the capability and infrastructure to meet new supply opportunities in key export markets such as Australia. We look forward to helping them take their next steps into these international markets.”

Ends

Notes to editor:

• Fine Food Australia is being held at the Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park, from 20-23 September 2015.

• Fine Food Australia was awarded the 2014 Best Trade Show over 10,000m2 by the Exhibition & Events Association of Australasia.

• For more details on each company visit their websites: Culley’s www.culleys.co.nz; Clevedon Valley Buffalo Company www.clevedonbuffalo.co.nz; Genevieve’swww.genevievescuisine.com; and CleanPaleo www.clean-paleo.com.

• Alongside awards at Louisiana and New York hot sauce expos and festivals, Culley’s won ‘Best Emerging Small Business’ in the 2013 Westpac South Auckland Business Awards.

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