Food and Drink Expo 2010

‘To Tweet or not to Tweet' - food and drink industry experts to debate the benefits and pitfalls of Web 2.0 The internet has never been more powerful, and it shapes the lives of millions of consumers. So what steps should food and drink companies take to ensure they don't get left behind in the race to harness the opportunities offered by Web 2.0? And how can businesses guarantee their investment in digital media won't be a waste of time and money? These and other important questions will be addressed in a debate to be held at this year's Food & Drink Expo. Entitled ‘Food 2.0 - To Tweet or not to Tweet', the event will gather together a panel of leading experts on digital media from the food and beverage industry to discuss the opportunities and pitfalls that lie in wait when retailers, foodservice operators and manufacturers make the web a key part of their business strategy. Appearing on the panel will be: · Amir Konigsberg, VP marketing and business development of Mysupermarket.co.uk, the grocery price comparison site that has revolutionised the way people shop online for food and drink · Marcus Carter, founder of Virtual Farmers Market, a ground breaking new online farmers' market that allows shoppers to browse for products on digitally-rendered 3D market stalls · Camilla Barnard, founder and marketing director of premium porridge and breakfast cereals brand Rude Health, which has established a cult following via its Twitter and Facebook pages · Philip Lynch, evaluation director at TNS Media Watch, and one of the UK's leading experts on how the internet is transforming the commercial landscape for food and drink businesses. The panel session will take place at 12pm on Monday 22 March 2010 in the Food & Drink Expo Business Briefing Theatre. It is one of series of debates to be held at the show, which runs from Sunday 21 March to Wednesday 24 March at Birmingham's NEC. Other sessions will include: · ‘Countdown to starvation - Is the world going to run out of food?', with Andrew Opie, director of food and consumer policy, British Retail Consortium; Sam Bickersteth, head of programme policy, Oxfam; Martin Haworth, acting director general, National Farmers Union; and Caroline Boin, project director, International Policy Network. This session will take place in the Food & Drink Expo Business Briefing Theatre at 2pm on Monday 22 March 2010. · ‘Provenance over prudence - has the recession changed the way we eat forever?', with Asda corporate affairs director Paul Kelly; Soil Association commercial director Jim Twine; Leon Restaurants founder and CEO Henry Dimbleby; and TNS Worldpanel communications director Ed Garner. This session will take place in the Food & Drink Expo Business Briefing Theatre at 12pm on Wednesday 24 March 2010. Jack Halliday, group sales manager of Food & Drink Expo, said: "This year's Business Briefing Theatre will bring together some of the food and drink industry's leading figures to tackle the most important issues facing companies today. Food & Drink Expo has established itself as the foremost trade show for the food and beverage industry and is widely recognised as a highly valuable event for both visitors and exhibitors keen to keep tabs on the latest product development trends and make new business contacts. The Business Briefing Theatre is yet another compelling reason to make sure a visit to the exhibition is in your diary." A showcase for the very latest developments in food and drink products, Food & Drink Expo will run simultaneously with seven other shows: Foodex, Baking Industry Exhibition, Convenience Retailing Show, International Forecourt & Fuel Equipment Show, Café+, Off Licence Show and Food & Drink Logistics. For information about exhibiting at Food & Drink Expo 2010, contact Jack Halliday, group sales manager. Email: jack.halliday@william-reed.co.uk. Tel: 01293 610352. To register as a visitor, or for general information about the show, click on www.foodanddrinkexpo.co.uk. -ENDS- Note to Editors For more information regarding Food & Drink Expo 2010 please contact James Barker, senior marketing executive. Email: james.barker@william-reed.co.uk. Tel: 01293 610244.