First Ever Food and Drink Founders Festival Proves a Hit

Bread & Butter - a two-day conference and boot camp for emerging food brands - provided the opportunity for start-ups and scale-ups to meet like-minded others and to grill those who have been there and done it. With hundreds of entrepreneurs participating, its popularity now heralds a return in 2017.

The line-up of speakers included the likes of Camilla Barnard from Rude Health; Richard Wilkinson from Doisy & Dam; Craig Sams from Green & Blacks and Patrick Drake from Hello Fresh. As well as advice, entrepreneurs were offered the opportunity to pitch their products directly to buyers from Whole Foods Market, Not On The High Street and Fortnum & Mason. Brands could also receive expert feedback from buyers from Selfridges, Holland & Barrett and Sourced Market, Eat 17 and Planet Organic at a Tasting Panel.

Gilly Pollock from Green & Jenks Gelato House said, “The speakers and exhibitors at Bread & Butter were some of the best in their specialism. Over the two days I learnt so much, from practical cash flow management, how to pitch to retailers and how to become the next new challenger brand. All the speakers were inspirational and I learnt so much, more than you would expect to gain from just two days.”

Stephanie Peritore, founder and managing director of Mindful Bites snacks said, “Bread & Butter has succeeded in attracting an outstanding line-up of speakers and buyers, as well as super start-up businesses whom I hope to stay connected with going forward.”

With 598,302 start-up businesses (across all sectors) created hitherto this year - according to StartUp Britain - a festival like this can provide essential support and insight for founders of burgeoning food and drink companies.

Entrepreneurs Jason Gibb and Tara Mei co-founded the event in a bid to give emerging food brands the tools to grow and develop their businesses. Jason said, “We wanted to create a special place for food founders that gave them the information, and the confidence, to make their brands a success. We also sought to connect these people to like-minded others and set them on the right path. We have been overwhelmed by the positive feedback that we have had from delegates, exhibitors and speakers. It just goes to show that the industry was crying out for an event like Bread & Butter.”

Image: Food Envy Photography