Yorkshire firms net £3.5M in new business

The Regional Food Group for Yorkshire and Humber (RFGYH) has helped to generate £3.5M in new business through an annual Meet the Buyer event.
The summit, which was the sixth of its kind, saw 25 companies from the region benefit from new business orders. It gave local firms the opportunity to showcase products in front of buyers from national supermarkets, independent stores and businesses from the catering and hospitality sectors.
Paynes Dairies, from Boroughbridge, one of the largest independent dairies in the UK, picked up a fresh milk contract worth £500,000 from independent retail chain the Proudfoot Group.
“Attending the event has been extremely worthwhile for us from a business point of view,” said Kevin Leech, sales director at Paynes Dairies.
The RFGYH said seven jobs had been created and 40 posts had been saved as a result of the new business deals generated by Meet the Buyer.
RFG chief executive Jonathan Knight said: “The six-month results that we have seen from this year’s event are extremely encouraging. There are a number of companies that still have leads to follow up, putting them in a favourable position to win new business or negotiate contracts which will further boost the overall value of the event.”
Other companies benefiting from the event include Swaledale Cheese Company, Bleikers Smokehouse, Choc-affair and Shepherds Purse Cheeses.