Asian food manufacturers in the east Midlands have joined forces as the Ethnic Food Forum in an effort to strengthen their businesses and promote their products.
The Leicester-based organisation has 60 members and is chaired by Nainesh Patel, director of Indian finger foods maker Farsan. Priyesh Patel, director of Cofresh Snack Foods, is vice-chairman.
The Forum said it will provide a platform to share resources, ideas and contacts and to help members organise exhibitions at shows.
Speaking at the group’s launch at the Leicester Stage Hotel in Wigston, Priyesh Patel said: “Our aims are to help our members be increasingly competitive, to access new markets and to highlight the east Midlands as the centre of excellence for ethnic foods.”
Nainesh Patel added: “The idea is to bring everyone together for networking and, for example, to help young companies who have good ideas but do not know how to execute them.”
Forum founders, Farsan, Cofresh Snack Foods and RK Enterprises will exhibit at Food and Drink Expo, at Birmingham NEC from March 14-17.