London Gatwick brought together 35 of the region’s upcoming and leading food, drink and homeware producers with airport retailers, restaurants and hotels to help local businesses scale up operations and create new opportunities with buyers.
The Meet the Local Producer event welcomed suppliers from across Sussex, Surrey and Kent. From award-winning sparkling wines and small-batch craft beers to artisan chocolates and homewares, the event celebrated the diversity and quality of goods produced in the region.
Airport partners including Avolta, GAIL’s Bakery and Lagardère met with local businesses such as Horsham Gingerbread, Jam Packed Preserves and Squerryes Winery. Representatives from SALSA, the food and drink safety certification scheme, were on hand to offer guidance to producers looking to scale up and meet the requirements of larger buyers.
London Gatwick has a unique position in the region to support local enterprise, which is a key part of the airport's work to enhance the Gatwick Region Airport Economic Zone (AEZ), created to unlock the collective potential of the region by leveraging the strategic role of London Gatwick.
The event builds on London Gatwick’s ongoing commitment to champion local and regional produce, as part of its sustainability strategy, Decade of Change.
London Gatwick is also a proud supporter of the Sussex Six campaign, which encourages greater visibility of Sussex products. A total of 32 Sussex-born products are now on sale to a global audience across retail outlets, restaurants and bars.
Richard Lennard, Economic Partnerships Manager, London Gatwick said: “We’re incredibly proud to have brought together such a vibrant mix of local producers and airport retailers. Events like this are a powerful way to showcase the quality and creativity of our region while helping businesses spark long-term opportunities. Supporting local enterprise is a key part of our strategy and we’ll continue to explore new ways to champion the incredible producers on our doorstep.”
Barry Drennan, Sales Manager, from Hepworth Brewery in West Sussex said: “Being at London Gatwick puts local producers on a national and international stage and their ethos is all about making sure local businesses are part of the conversation, not on the sidelines. The event was a fantastic opportunity to meet buyers face-to-face and showcase the incredible quality we have in the South East. What makes it even more valuable is being part of a collective - together we can raise visibility and show the strength of local businesses in one place.”
The Meet the Local Producer event followed London Gatwick’s Economic Summit, which last week brought together more than 200 senior leaders from business, government and industry to explore how the Gatwick Region can drive further sustainable growth, inward investment and innovation across the South East and beyond.
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London Gatwick champions local businesses in supplier showcase
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