- Premier food industry trade show Meet the Buyer held in Perth today
- Cook Government connecting WA food and beverage businesses with buyers
- Event will welcome international buyers and showcase all WA regions for the first time
- Demonstrates Cook Government's commitment to diversifying the economy and making more things here
Local food and beverage producers will converge with buyers from across Australia and around the world as part of Western Australia's biggest food and beverage industry trade show - Meet the Buyer.
The annual trade event, held today at Crown Perth, features over 80 exhibitors showcasing more than 500 products to chefs, distributors, wholesalers, national and independent retailers, and hospitality businesses.
For the first time, Meet the Buyer will welcome international buyers and showcase products from every region in WA.
More than 20 international buyers from 12 countries will attend the event as part of the Taste WA trade delegation.
The delegation has been facilitated through the Western Australian Government, through the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and the Department of Energy and Economic Diversification, along with Austrade TradeStart advisers from the Great Southern Development Commission, South West Development Commission, and Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA.
Now in its fifth year, Meet the Buyer has established itself as the State's premier food and beverage industry trade exhibition and networking forum, presented by the Buy West Eat Best (BWEB) program.
The Cook Government contributes $1.1 million annually, through the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, to support the BWEB state-of-original food and beverage labelling program and key initiatives including Meet the Buyer.
Products showcased at this year's event include seafood, honey, fresh chicken and red meat, dairy, smallgoods, pasta and noodles, beverages, readymade convenience meals, oats and value-add grocery lines.
Brownes Dairy and Great Southern Truffles will display a new 'truffle cheddar', the result of a unique collaboration forged through a previous Meet the Buyer connection.
Damaged Goods Distillery is joining with Carnarvon-based grower cooperative Sweeter Banana to showcase a new vodka using waste fruit materials.
Other exhibitors launching new ingredients and value add products for retail shelves and drinks menus including Funk Drinks Co new Farmers Ale, and Amaise Popcorn, featuring WA oils and flavour infusions including buttery lobster seasoning.
Combined, Western Australia's food and beverage manufacturing industry and food service sector employ more than 120,000 people with an annual turnover of around $22 billion.
For more information visit www.meetthebuyer.com.au
As stated by Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis:
"Meet the Buyer is the biggest and only dedicated food and beverage trade show in WA, shaped exclusively for local business and industry.
"The Cook Government remains focused on growing the State's value-added food and beverage sector and driving local, national and export market opportunities for WA's premium products, making 'grown in WA' a key component of Made in WA.
"Today's event is a fantastic platform for our food and beverage sector, and by enabling buyers and sellers to connect, we're ensuring WA's premium quality, regional diversity and growing global reputation are front and centre."
As stated by Regional Development Minister Stephen Dawson:
"The Cook Government is proud to be supporting this event. Meet the Buyer has built a solid reputation as the premier place to do business and contribute to a strong and sustainable value-add food and beverage sector in WA.
"The mix of exhibitors this year will see all of our WA regions represented - the Kimberley, Gascoyne, Goldfields-Esperance, Great Southern, Mid West, Peel, Pilbara, Perth, South West and the Wheatbelt - providing a genuine State-wide networking event.
"Increasing trade not only benefits agrifood businesses but also provides the right 'ingredients' to boost economic growth and job opportunities in communities across our State, including each of our regions."
