- WA Government connecting WA food and beverage
business with buyers
- Third annual Buy West East Best Meet the Buyer
trade event on today at Crown
The Western Australian Government is connecting WA food and beverage
businesses with local, national and international buyers to help them get
local products onto retail shelves, menus and beverage lists across Australia
and around the world.
In its third year, the annual Meet the Buyer trade event on at
Crown Perth today will include more
than 80 exhibitors showcasing over 530 WA food and beverage products to around 200
prospective buyers.
Combined, the food and
beverage manufacturing and food service sectors in WA employ more than 100,000
people with an annual turnover of $16 billion.
Meet the Buyer helps to
build relationships by getting key buyers and sellers in one room for one day.
The initiative is part of
the State Government's Buy West Eat Best food and beverage labelling program.
Since the event first started in 2021, more than 1,400 food and beverage
businesses have taken part and had the opportunity to connect with in excess of
800 buyers.
Products being showcased at this year's event include premium
meats, seafoods, seasonal fruit, vegetables, nuts and dairy products as well as
olive and canola oils and a unique range of Indigenous ice creams and teas.
There is also wide
selection of WA wines, craft beers and ciders, kombucha, ready to pour cocktail
mixers, cold brew tea and distillery spirits.
Comments attributed to Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis:
"With consumers hungry for locally sourced fresh quality products, Meet
the Buyer provides a fantastic platform for our WA food and beverage businesses
to explore new product and market opportunities.
"Our State has some amazing produce, from seafood to wine, and it is
exciting to see over 530 WA products in one location for retail buyers, importers,
chefs and sommeliers to sample and enjoy."
Comments attributed to Regional Development Minister Don Punch:
"The State's food and beverage industry is a significant
contributor to the State's economy and our regional and metropolitan
communities.
"With exhibitors from the Gascoyne in the north, Chapman Valley in the
Mid West down to the Great Southern, the Meet the Buyer event provides the
perfect opportunity for businesses to make new connections to expand their
business.
"This will have flow-on benefits for our regional communities with
opportunities to create more jobs to support business growth."
