Event aims to tackle food supply chain challenges

A major event designed to bring together businesses in the face of existential threats to the food supply chain is being hosted by Birmingham Wholesale Market and Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce.

'Resilience and Response ', sponsored by NFU Mutual, will be taking place at the Birmingham Wholesale Market in Witton on Monday 31 October from 8am to 1pm.

The day will be of significant interest to businesses in the hospitality, leisure, catering and fast food sectors, as well as those in the retail, wholesale, distribution and processing sectors.

After several challenging years for these sectors, the event will be an opportunity for those involved to connect with fellow business owners and be inspired by the event 's keynote speakers, who will be addressing the personal and professional challenges of how to be resilient and lead business recovery and growth.

Keynote speakers at the event will include Squadron Leader (Rtd) Shaun Pascoe.

During his 16-year career in the Royal Air Force, Shaun has led Medical Emergency Response Teams that have treated all injured combatants whilst flying missions from the battlefield to hospitals onboard Chinook helicopters.

Having served on the frontline of many conflicts around the globe, Shaun has developed unique insights into how to be resilient in the most demanding of situations to unlock the power of people.

Another key speaker at the event will be Henrietta Brealey, CEO of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, who will lead a discussion on how the current climate has affected the food supply chain and its impact on food availability and sustainability.

Henrietta said: “The Birmingham Wholesale Markets are something of a hidden gem in the city. A cluster of impressive and diverse businesses that fuel both our catering and hospitality industries and shoppers seeking out fresh produce alike.

“They are also at the forefront of some of the shocks to trade we 've seen in recent years. There 's a lot of lessons in business resilience and adaptability to share from these traders, as well as examples of challenges that still need to be addressed. I look forward to taking part in this event and sharing insights into how the current climate has affected the food supply chain. ”

Places for the event are limited. Sign up now.