YORK is staging a new event next week aimed at encouraging the region’s hospitality, restaurant and consumer businesses to buy local when sourcing produce.

Entitled Find, Make, Buy Local the event is being be held at the National Agri-Food Campus on Thursday, February 8.

The event will focus on the local food and drink supply chain and will encourage companies, large and small, to find local produce to make their products and will encourage hoteliers, restaurants, supermarkets and consumers to buy locally.

Organiser, Aimie Ridsdale, said: “Yorkshire is much more than just a region, it’s become a brand in itself.

“We’ve become known for our excellent produce, artisan companies and high-end restaurants. Find, Make, Buy Local will explore the current supply chain in Yorkshire and how small producers can join-up and streamline their supply chain for a smoother and more profitable process.

“The local food and drink industry is going from strength to strength and this event is about exploring how businesses can join up to help it grow and develop even further.

“We look forward to meeting new Yorkshire businesses and hope they find our excellent line-up of speakers helpful and interesting.”

The event will start with a local, networking lunch from 12pm before key note speakers discuss the issues in the food supply chain and how these could be solved.

Speakers include chef consultant Stephanie Moon, professor Graham Bonwick of Fera Science, The William Jackson Food Group which owns Jackson’s Bread and Abel&Cole, and Matt Rymer from Happerley, a new company aiming to provide consumers with quality produce and break through the lies consumers are told about food provenance.

There will also be a panel session on how food businesses can leverage the Yorkshire brand which will include Mat Lazenby who created the Yorkshire Mark, Marc Cole from Coleman’s Cider, and the Big Barn project.

The event will close with a local beer and cider tasting, from local companies.

The event is being organised by the Stimulating Innovation in the Agri-Food Sector project (SIAFS), an ERDF project, which is run by Science City York, part of Make It York, and Fera Science Ltd. To book tickets visit www.eventbrite.co.uk and search for SIAFS