Visitors at Food & Drink Expo will be able to sample more than 100 German cheeses new to the UK market during the March 2002 event at the NEC in Birmingham. Small and medium-scale specialist cheesemakers are exhibiting their wares in an encyclopaedic feature in the German Pavilion. On show will be speciality cheeses from all regions of Germany. Not only will retailers and wholesalers be able to taste each of the cheeses, they will also be able to connect with the cheesemakers through pavilion organiser CMA. "We are even including an extensive range of organic cheeses," said CMA UK director Kurt Bettin. German manufacturers are so keen on next year's Food & Drink Expo that they have already booked all the stands in their country's pavilion. Thirteen manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors will parade a range of familiar and contemporary German foods including beers, sausages, cooked hams and salamis, juices, novelty confectionery, sweets and candies, conserves and desserts. "All the products on show will be readily available to any trade channel," said Bettin. "All the exhibitors are already trading in the UK." Reinert, Dan International and Golden Acre Dairy Foods are typical of the Pavilion's exhibitors. In 2002 Reinert will be showing around one fifth of its 150-strong range of salamis and hams cooked to authentic German recipes. Dan International, purveyors of Bertrams Exclusiv fruit juices and nectars, is coming to Food & Drink to meet new wholesale distributors. "We're trying to break into c-stores so that's 75% of the reason why we will exhibit," said Danuta Litynska. "The other 25% is awareness." Golden Acre Dairy Foods picked up a lot of business for the five German dairies it represents at its first Expo outing in 2000. "Food & Drink is a wonderful vehicle to catch up on smaller customers and strengthen relationships," said Gerd Janssen. "This time we will be introducing a unique range that we are just about to launch in Germany." The exhibition is organised by William Reed, publisher of The Grocer. {{NEWS }}

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