From the Voice UK

August 17-20 saw the Grace Foods-sponsored Caribbean Food and Drink Conference and the Jus’ Caribbean Festival bring the heat to London

THE MUCH-anticipated Caribbean Food and Drink Conference and Jus’ Caribbean Festival, both sponsored by Grace Foods UK, went without a hitch and to the enjoyment of all, last weekend.

The number of conference attendees exceeded expectations and saw the High Commissioner for Saint Lucia His Excellency Guy Mayers deliver the keynote address which asked audiences to consider how the Caribbean could benefit from a post-Brexit Britain and capitalise on innumerable trade opportunities.

Celebrity chef Levi Roots also spoke about entrepreneurial preparedness, outlining that even without a formal education, he was able to slay the BBC Dragons to become the most successful food entrepreneur in the Caribbean community – all because he was mentally prepared.

Several other speakers, including global rum ambassador Ian Burrell thrilled the diverse audience with facts, figures and humour. The aim of these unique events is to promote Caribbean products and services to the world. CEO of CaribDirect Multi-Media, David F. Roberts, said:

“We have achieved our objective to link a few Caribbean businesses to with sellers in the UK as Grace Foods met with the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC).”

Following the conference was the Jus’ Caribbean Festival which enabled sellers such as BIDC, Dalgety Herbal Teas, Victoria Mutual, Taste of Barbados, Caribbean Ice, St Lucia Trade Export Promotions Agency (TEPA) and many others sell and provide samples to a discerning British audience. The winning combination of hot sunshine, steel pan music and the smell of jerk meats enticed people in large numbers, who enjoyed comedy performances by Wayne ‘Dibbi’ Rollins, comedienne Donna Spence and MTV Base presenter Kat Boyce. Gospel renditions by Natalie Phillips, Adelaide MacKenzie and dancer Leanna Ferguson had the crowd moving along to the beat.

These events were supported by The Voice, Prostate Cancer UK and Colourful Radio.

Planning for Caribbean Food and Drink Conference and Jus’ Caribbean Festival has already begun and details will be available on www.caribbeanfoodanddrinkconference.com and www.juscaribbean.com very soon. Alternatively, you can call 0207 856 0376 or search ‘CaribbeanFoodandDrinkConference’ on Facebook or @CaribConference on Twitter.

IMAGES:

BASKING IN THE SUNSHINE: Presenter Kat Boyce (second from right) surrounded by beauty queens from Trinidad & Tobago

PREPARED: Levi Roots, centre, addressing the crowd

VISIT: High Commissioner for Saint Lucia His Excellency Guy Mayers

For more on this story go to: http://www.voice-online.co.uk/article/conference-and-jus-caribbean-festival-were-crowd-pleasers