Now, be honest. That’s not what you were expecting to hear, is it?
Unless you have been living and working under a rock, you’ll no doubt have noted that in June, more than half of the fine people of Great Britain voted to leave the European Union after 42 years of doing a decent impression of being the insiders who prefer to remain on the outside.
What you may also have noticed is that ‘Team GB’ hasn’t left the Union yet and it is unlikely that the process of extracting the country from the EU will be completed for quite some time yet, as political changes within the country’s midst take shape.
So, what does the British produce industry feel about the whole affair? How is it looking to respond, in order to ensure that its close ties with counterparts on the continent can continue to be close, whatever the outcome of the political shenanigans of the next few years? And what are the repercussions likely to be for fresh produce buyers and sellers all over the world who deal with British trading partners?
Come to APS16 on November 2-4 , 2016 and find out straight from the horses’ mouths (we’re sure they won’t mind us calling them horses just this once!) The Great British Zone at APS will be led by the Commercial Horticulture Association and feature a number of British companies that have no intention of seeing their commercial relationships suffer if and when GB withdraws.
Tommy Leighton, managing director of The Amsterdam Produce Show and Conference, said: “Great Britain has not been the featured nation at a major produce trade show overseas before and this is the perfect time and the perfect opportunity for the country to put its hand up and tell the world that it not only remains open for business despite Brexit, but that it retains great ambition to expand both its imports and exports of produce.
“Great Britain has the fifth largest economy in the world, behind only Germany in Europe. It has a population of 64.1 million and counting and is embarking like so many countries on a battle to ensure that this population eats more healthily. The retail scene in Great Britain is ever-changing and ever-challenging for suppliers, but it still represents one major opportunity. The wholesale and foodservice industries continue to thrive – with London now established as one of the world’s major centres of culinary excellence, the rest of the nation is also upping its game.
“As a producer, Great Britain has never been a major exporter, it’s fair to say, but there are interesting pockets of activity and there is also a great desire to increase that export – if only to relieve some of the pressure that is inevitably exerted when you are effectively serving just one market and one set of intensely competitive customers. Great Britain produces great apples, pears, potatoes, salads, berries and vegetables amongst other things – allied with some of the best developed growers and supply chain management minds in the world, it is a reliable and rewarding partner to work with.
“Great Britain has a proud history of course, but now more than ever, it is a time for industry to look very closely at its future and the people it wants and needs to do business with as the landscape alters before us. As a Brit myself, I’m really proud that we are able to shine a light on my nation in this way, just as I’m proud to be launching our inaugural show in Amsterdam.”
To meet new British partners, come along to the APS on November 2-4, 2016 and find out what the future holds. Register online here or for more information, email joinus@amsterdamproduceshow.com