• Overall footfall has increased year on year with 46.5m visitors coming to our GCs
• Revenue is up 5.5% year on year at £328.3m
• Horticulture accounts for 30% of revenue
• Gardening accounts for 34% of revenue
• Home & Leisure accounts for 17% of revenue
• Food & Beverage accounts for 19% of revenue
• Like for like sales decreased by 2% in 2016 but grew in the second half of 2016
• Gross margin reduced by 1.8 percentage points due to higher clearance activity as legacy inventory issues addressed
• Operating costs increased due to acquisitions, additional rental expense from sale and leaseback transactions and investment in people, including impact of National Living Wage
• EBITDA down 31% year on year at £29.1m

Visitors to Glee this year were able to explore a new and extended range of products being unveiled on the Meadow View Stone stand. With 12 new decorative aggregates and over 20 additions to their paving collection, Meadow View have placed consumer trends at the heart of their product development process.

This commitment has also been echoed in their new retail-friendly packaging and informative brochure, as well as their customer driven website which launched at the show.

Marketing Director Sarah Hill said: “Glee is always a strong platform for Meadow View but this year has seen exceptional feedback.

"New product ranges such as our Urban Living collection and Travertine Paving were well received and we were able to effectively demonstrate how these might be displayed in a retail environment, especially to maximise linked sales.

"Many of the products that we have launched this year have been developed to complement our leading lines, giving customers a wider range of choice to suit every garden style and every shopper’s budget.”

Alongside discovering a wealth of new products and packaging unveiled at the show, visitors were able to take a break on the stand and enjoy a selection of speciality gins and drinks supplied by Halewood International.

Halewood, the leading brand in giftware packs, provided hospitality for guests and were able to introduce them to innovative new tastes and flavours from distilleries across the UK.

For more information about recent changes and new products from Meadow View Stone, please get in touch via email  or visit the website.

Nicholas Marshall, CEO of Dobbies Garden Centres, has joined the line-up for the HTA Garden Futures Conference, sponsored by Hozelock, which takes place on Wednesday 4 October at Heythrop Park in Oxfordshire.

With over 30 years’ experience in the garden centre sector Nicholas founded and built two garden centre chains, Country Gardens PLC and Country Homes and Gardens PLC. He was also CEO of Wyevale Garden Centres for four years, taking it from near administration to a successful sale for £300m.

Nicholas will be interviewed by conference host, journalist and news presenter Cathy Newman who will quiz him on his views on topics such as the future of the industry, the potential impact of Brexit, changing demographics and the consumer and the impact of technology within retail.

Garden retail – the great escape – is the theme for this year’s HTA Garden Futures Conference and Dinner which is aimed at all those from across the garden industry from business owners to directors and managers.

The theme of this year’s one-day strategic event reflects the role of both gardens and garden centres as an escape and focuses on the benefits, positive role and unique opportunities that this provides for the industry. It also tackles key issues impacting the sector such as Xylella fastidiosa.

Also, joining the programme is Rachel Lund from the British Retail Consortium (BRC). Rachel heads up the BRC’s Insight and Analytics team and is responsible for all of the BRC’s data gathering and market analysis activities including the Retail Sales and Footfall Monitors.

Josh McBain from the Foresight Factory will present on The Ageless Society demonstrating how the changing demographic provides a huge opportunity for the garden industry with a big focus on experiences rather than material objects.

Jack Stratten from Insider Trends will look at technology in retail, highlighting the way in which developments can help to free up time to spend with customers.

Professor Alistair Griffiths from the RHS will look at the role of gardens, gardening and horticulture, ensuring that humans don’t lose touch with nature and how it can be used to provide preventative natural health and wellbeing care services.

In a session sponsored by Fiskars, botanist, science writer and broadcaster James Wong will be looking at how engaging with your outdoor space could dramatically improve your health and the way in which garden centres can utilise cross-category merchandising to help illustrate the benefit of plants. 

In a session titled ‘Give Room to Nature’ Harald Elderenbosch, owner and managing director of Elho, explores how they use consumer and lifestyle trends to help shape their strategy.

Following on from the Retail Lab @ Glee there will be a Retail Lab @ Garden Futures panel session looking at what the future holds for future retail environments and how retailers can use innovative ways of illustrating lifestyle themes.

Ensuring the sector is kept up to date with key issues, there will be a cross industry panel to discuss the threat of Xylella fastidiosa and the mitigating action required to protect the industry. Chaired by HTA Past President Adam Wigglesworth this panel session involves Colin Dale from Notcutts, Andy Smith from Klondyke Group, Jonathan Whitmore from Johnsons of Whixley, Dan Munro from APHA and Boyd Douglas-Davies from Hillview Garden Centres.

The conference is followed by the Garden Futures dinner which includes the presentation of the HTA Pearson Memorial Medal and The Greatest Garden Retail Awards, followed by an after dinner speaker.

Make sure you don’t miss out! Book your place now at www.hta.org.uk/gardenfutures

#HTAFutures

• To build and develop profitable sales across responsible channels in line with prescribed targets
• To target new business opportunities and successfully convert within territory
• Service current retail accounts with regular visits and communication, building strong relationship with customers
• Regular liaison with head office sales support on behalf of broader customer delivery
• To introduce new products with seasonal demands to customers across territory
• To adopt and deliver external sales reporting requirements
• To attend and the represent Company at trade shows and industry events, as required

• Previous experience within the Gift industry, ideally across Garden Centre and/or Visitor Attraction sectors
• A proven track record of building and developing profitable sales achievement within the gift industry
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships at all levels
• Strong organisational and prioritisation skills
• Proficient with IT skills, specifically external sales reporting
• Self-motivated and driven, with a desire to be a part of a successful team

• Competitive Basic Salary (commensurate with experience)
• Commission/Bonus Program
• Company Vehicle/Private Vehicle allowance
• Pension
• Westfield Health Membership
• iPad/Mobile phone

Paul Hansord, MD of the young plants division at Thompson & Morgan, is to retire next summer after 30 years with the company. Neil Sharpe, long-standing head of retail sales, will also retire next month.

Paul, who joined T&M from Barton Grange Garden Centre, will work part-time from November leave the business in early summer.

His departure follows the recent acquisition of the Thompson & Morgan group by BVG.

Paul (left) said he was confident T&M was in safe hands for the future. “BVG’s investments and clear goals on customer service and quality, and the introduction of a new horticultural team, means that T&M will positively embark on its next chapter. Like all businesses, success relies on adaptation to the market and ever-changing customer expectations. I feel that the BVG and the T&M Executive team understand what customers want and are prepared to invest time, energy and money into the future.

“With this confidence in the leadership of T&Ms future, I feel I can make some personal changes by taking life a little easier and enjoying more family time.  Therefore from 1st November 2017, I'll be reducing my workload to three days a week with the intent to retire from the business in the early summer of 2018.

“I've been proud to have been involved with the success of T&M over the past 30 years, none of which would have been achieved without the dedication of all my colleagues past and present. It is with mixed emotions therefore that I make my decision but we all have to slow down sometime! I wish the BVG Group and all my colleagues the best in continuing to make T&M the market leader through innovation, quality and service.”

Neil Sharpe (right), long-standing head of retail sales, has been a pivotal player in the success of the retail operation. Christine Wilcock (left), who has worked for T&M for over 40 years, also retires in November. As Neil’s right-hand woman, Christine has also played a big role in the growth and success of the retail channel. 

Meanwhile, Joseph Cordy joins as as head of B2B Sales, responsible for the Retail and Wholesale channels. and Jenny Palmer, a member of the buying team for the past three years, is the new retail sales manager. Both will be out on the road meeting customers over the next few weeks.

T&M are now looking for a business development manager for the retail team.

Kris Collins will join the horticultural team shortly as quality control manager. He has worked within the industry for more than 20 years.

The following article in the Australian Hardware Journal offers an alternative perspective on the troubles facing Bunnings as they attempt to change the trading model of their Homebase chain

It seems the European hardware industry has become even more tumultuous, after recent news that the UK's big green box has reported an $89 million loss in its first full financial year - since the acquisition of UK chain, Homebase.

Wesfarmers executives were recently asked questions about the dismal performance of the UK and Ireland business, with Merrill Lynch analyst, David Errington, describing it as a “big loss”, and questioning the strategy of moving Homebase stores from a promotional to an everyday low pricing model. 

“The whole UK market is a promotional market. You're going to try to convert the market to non-promotional – that is a real worry. What's the risk they turn into a real disaster? You guys were pretty aggressive saying (Bunnings UK and Ireland) wasn't going to lose money. Where is this business going to go?" Mr Errington said in a recent news.com.au report.

Although he agreed that there is a risk in doing this, Bunnings Group Managing Director, Michael Schneider also pointed out that in 1994, the Australian retail landscape was similarly based on a “"high-low” promotional strategy, until Bunnings “came along and introduced EDLP” (every day low pricing)

"It's going to be a long slog, but what we're seeing in the Bunnings pilots is that they are performing well. When they (the UK consumer) see what EDLP is, they (will) trust it," Mr Schneider said in the news.com.au report.

• Garden Products - down 11%
• Veg-2-Gro - down 9%
• Growing Media - down 11%
• All Plants Index - up 3%
• All Items Index - up 7

Bents has always been passionate about gifts and now, after a major £100k investment programme, the department has been given an extensive makeover which can be seen in our latest film: https://youtu.be/jakG08A6kks

The recent works bring the department in line with other areas of the store which have been transformed over recent years. They also help set the scene for the final phase in Bents’ journey which will see a brand new entrance, providing a new focal point and bringing all elements of the Centre together.   

The new-look gift department has been opened out and extended, with new display units providing more space, making it easier to browse and shop for the perfect product.  Two different and distinct areas have been created; one for the home and one for you, both of which are full of great gift ideas.

The new home area combines all homeware gifts with Bents’ floristry department. Each display is beautifully themed bringing together popular products with colour themed flowers and candles, whilst all jewellery, luxurious toiletries and beauty gifts such as L’Occitane and Molton Brown products, have now moved next to the clothing department, creating an exclusive new area.

Bents has planned a special opening event between Wednesday 27^th and Friday 29^th September between 5 – 8pm when customers will be able to experience the new-look department and enjoy demonstrations from suppliers such as Bath House, Wax Lyrical and Rocktails as well as giveaways and a golden ticket prize draw, all to be enjoyed with a cheeky glass of fizz!

Staff at Haskins Roundstone have raised £6,564 to pay for the training of an assistance dog.

Bloom, a three-month-old Labrador, is currently being trained at the Puppy Training Satellite in West Sussex. Over time, she will be trained to help with a range of everyday tasks, including opening doors, picking up dropped items and helping to unload a washing machine.

After an 18-month training period by a Canine Partners’ volunteer puppy parent, Bloom will go to the Canine Partners Training Centre to learn her advanced tasks before an assessment to determine if she has the skills required to become an assistance dog.

Nominated as the centre’s charity of the year for 2015 and 2016, Canine Partners relies on donations to fund its work with people with disabilities. It costs the charity £5,000 to purchase a puppy and pay for training, equipment, toys, vet bills, insurance and transport.

Haskins Roundstone general mananger Nick Joad said: “Everyone at Haskins enjoyed raising funds for Canine Partners as we’re all dog lovers. We aimed to raise more than £5,000 by the end of 2016 and were so pleased to smash this target. We’re delighted to see Bloom is progressing on her puppy training journey and have every confidence in her that she will become an assistance dog for the charity.”

Jenny Dwyer-Ward, community fundraiser at Canine Partners, said: “We receive no government funding, so we rely on the generosity of supporters like Haskins in order to sponsor a puppy through its first year of training. Assistance dogs are needed to transform the lives of people living with physical disabilities and to change lives by boosting disabled people’s independence and confidence.”

The Company:

Apta is the leading supplier of quality flower pots and accessories to the UK garden trade.

The company has achieved very considerable growth and now wishes to strengthen its merchandising team with the recruitment of additional Product Merchandisers. The role will appeal to motivated and ambitious individuals.

Job title:         Product Merchandisers (Full-Time). See Areas below.

Area 1:           Kent, Sussex, Surrey, South London

Area 2:           Essex, Suffolk

Salary:            £22,500+ after training with immediate start.

Generous bonus scheme & company vehicle.

Progression:            Apta has a track-record of promoting its staff.

The Role of Product Merchandiser:

• Building upon strong partnerships with existing customers
• Working with the sales team to ensure that customer experience is always exceptional.
• Planning and working to an effective journey plan, maximising customer contact.

The person for this Product Merchandiser opportunity:

We are looking for committed, fit and motivated individuals to join our excellent merchandising team. The main duties involve setting up display benches and displaying our products within garden centres.  

Area 1: mainly covering Kent, Sussex, and surrounding areas. Candidates must be well located in the territory, ideally in the Ashford to Crawley area. Other well located locations within the territory will be considered.

Area 2: mainly covering Essex, Suffolk and surrounding areas. Candidates must be well located in the territory, ideally in the Chelmsford to Ipswich area. Other well located locations within the territory will be considered.

This is an outdoor job involving heavy lifting and only applicants whom are very fit, healthy and willing to work extended hours during our main season should apply. A company vehicle is provided for all work duties along with a fuel card and mobile phone.

A full clean driving licence is required and applicants need to be 23 + years of age.

Applications should be sent by email with your CV and covering letter to Brian Cobb, Merchandising Manager, brian.cobb@apta.co.uk or telephone 07968 153418 for any other details.

The closing date for all applicants is 30^th September 2017.

• Primula sales grew by almost 200% to reach No 4 in the GTN Plants Chart.
• The Top 10 plant genus all grew sales and accounted for 50% of all plants sold.
• Bellis were the highest Top 50 re-entry at No 29.

After 48 years in the garden trade, Tony Dedman, operations director of Garland Products/Worth Gardening, is to retire on September 30.

During the past five years Tony has been involved in the introduction and launch of over 700 new products to the Garland/Worth Gardening portfolio and has helped expand the company’s sales to worldwide markets.  Tony was also involved in establishing the company’s new distribution warehouse. 

Tony’s career commenced in 1969 and has included periods with Haselden, where he was selling the Hasel hose reel and then with Netlon Ltd.  He then worked with Netlon/ Sentinel as both a representative and agent before becoming sales director of Bosmere Products.

Tony has been a regular face at garden events and has been involved in every single Glee exhibition and before that the Hardware Show in London.  He has also just completed 39 years at the spoga+gafa international trade fair in Cologne, having first exhibited there in 1973.

To ensure continuity, Tony’s role will be assumed by his son Mark Dedman with the support of Phil Burgoyne who joined the management team in January 2017.  In his retirement, Tony plans to play more golf, to have more involvement in the indoors bowls club and to spend more time on holidays and gardening with his wife, Ginette.

The Garland Products Group specialises in the manufacture of plastic injection moulded products and is one of the fastest growing suppliers to the garden industry. 

This year’s Glee saw record breaking donations to Greenfingers as exhibitors donated hundreds of stunning products to the charity. As well as stock from Bord Na mona and the New Product Zone, generous donations from Cadix. Woodlodge, The Solar Centre, Ivyline and many others who contributed to the Retail Lab helped to make-up the FIVE vans of stock which will be up-sold by Hillview Garden Centres, to raise money for the charity that creates therapeutic gardens for children and their families who spend time in hospices across the UK.

Head of Fundraising and Communications, Linda Petrons said: "On behalf of everyone at Greenfingers Charity I'd like to say a huge thank you to Glee for their overwhelming generosity this year.  The much loved Woodlodge fire pit of booze was raffled at the exhibition raising a huge £550 and donations received at the end of the three-day event will go on to raise many hundreds of £s in the weeks ahead. 

I'd also like to say a very special thank you to the HTA and Boyd Douglas Davies and his fantastic team from Hillview Garden Centres for working so hard, late into the evening on Wednesday and Thursday to ensure all donations were securely packed into the waiting vans for onward delivery".

The charity also took the opportunity to remind visitors and exhibitors to the show that it’s just six months until Garden Re-Leaf Day which next year takes place on

FRIDAY 16TH MARCH 2018

To register your event or sign up to take part in, or support the GREAT Garden Re-Leaf Day walk, contact Mandy in the Fundraising Team on 01494 674749 or by email gardenreleaf@greenfingerscharity.org.uk. 

• Scotts Evergreen Complete 360 sq m + 10% Extra Free is the week’s highest re-entry, back in at No 6.
• Gripsnipz Mini Cutting Tools in Pink, Orange and Green maintain their lofty bestsellers positions at Nos 2, 3 and 5.
• Westland Resolva 24H Ready To Use, 1 litre, is the highest chart climber, up 27 positions to No 21.

Garden and conservatory furniture online retailer Alfresia has reported a surge in sales of bohemian and hippy chic themed furniture.

It claims the trend, which has seen 100% growth of festival-themed lines, is inspired by music festivals like Glastonbury in the UK and California’s Coachella.

Sales of firepits have increased 74% over the past 12 months, and in a survey of 1,000 homeowners, 27% said they have decorated their outdoor space with lanterns. Almost a third said they had invested in more relaxed furniture, including sofa seating, swinging chairs and sun beds. Sales of children’s teepees have more than doubled.

The bohemian outdoor trend follows a summer of high profile and boutique festivals and their celebrity attendees, including Kendal Jenner who attended Coachella and the Beckhams and Alexa Chung, who visited Glastonbury.

Nic Jones, head of digital at Alfresia.co.uk, said: “It seems we have been inspired by the likes of Worthy Farm and the other great international festival sites of the world, and alongside a surge in the popularity of music festivals, we have seen the steady increase and now boom in festival themed outdoor furnishings. Those who are entertaining outdoors this summer are taking pride in their gardens and adding a touch of their own personality.”

Bristol residents were most likely to decorate their outdoor space with glamping and bohemian lifestyle inspired furniture and accessories, followed by Manchester.

• Taylors Garlic Germidour increased sales by over 250% to be the best selling garlic bulb, moving up to No 3.
• Vegetable 6 Packs from WD Smith were the highest new entry last week, in at No 15.
• Taylors Bulbs Kitchen Herb Pot is the charts highest climber, up 18 places to No 30.

In association with the Army Parachute Association, the dare devil pair took part in a tandem parachute jump over the stunning Wiltshire countryside. 

Richard, who has recently become a Greenfingers Charity Ambassador said: “We were incredibly excited, and slightly terrified, to be fundraising for Greenfingers Charity by taking the leap, but we know the money we raise will make a real difference to children and families who face daily challenges.”

For more information about Greenfingers Charity, visit www.greenfingerscharity.org.uk

Abigail said: “Thank you for supporting us in this terrifying challenge and thank you for helping to make a real difference”

Thanks for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

• Ten litre packs of Westland Bulb Planting Compost are the week’s highest climber, up 23 places to No 23.
• Taylors Bulb Fibre, 10 litres, moves upone place to No 5.
• Scotts Miracle-Gro Eco Sense Bulb Compost, 20 litres, moves up four places to No 7.

The impact of horticulture on human physical and mental health will be the theme for this year’s Chartered Institute of Horticulture conference in Dublin next month (13-14 October).

Staged at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Dublin Airport (Northwood, pictured), it’s the first time the conference has been held in Ireland.

CIH President, Dr Owen Doyle CHort FCIHort, said that as the institute represented professional horticulturists in both Great Britain and Ireland, it was high time the conference was held in Ireland. “We will have the opportunity to listen to experts and visit industry sites demonstrating excellence in horticulture; in the era of Brexit it is essential to maintain strong links with colleagues and businesses within the EU,” he said.

Conference topics will also explore how to maintain a healthy horticulture business and implement succession planning for future generations.

“Plants are essential for human life on this planet; their cultivation is what horticulturists do!,” Dr Doyle said. “In addition to providing the oxygen we breathe, the foods we eat and the medicines we need, they also give us the beautiful, healthy environments in which we live and work.”

Highlighting the importance of health and horticulture, microbiologist Dr Fiona Crispie, technologist at Teagasc and the APC Microbiome Institute, will discuss ‘You are what you eat: the microbiome and health’.

Caroline Keeling will present the James Bruce Memorial Lecture: Growing with passion to meet consumer needs. Caroline, chair of Bord Bia’s Horticultural Board and a member of the Export Trade Council, is a prominent figure campaigning for jobs implementation in Ireland, supporting women for election, and many more just causes.

Representing the amenity sector will be director of Out There Services Steven Thompson. A market leader in the UK grounds maintenance and landscaping sector, he will discuss careers in horticulture’.

The two-day event features a full day of talks on the Friday, with a gala dinner in the evening, followed the next morning with visits to leading mushroom grower and growing media businesses, as well as an award-winning arboretum.

Find out more about who will be joining the programme and book your ticket online here.

Provision of more gardens, growing spaces and allotments and a return to a way of life more attuned to our hunter-gather origins are among the solutions to modern urban challenges advocated by leading archaeologist Gustav Milne.

In a new book titled ‘Uncivilised Genes: Human Evolution and the Urban Paradox’, he examines the mismatch between our increasingly urbanized world and our biology. The problem, he says, is that society continues to change with remarkable speed, yet anatomically and genetically we remain much as were thousands of years ago. Understanding the requirements of our prehistoric past may hold the answer to tackling the epidemic of western lifestyle diseases currently confronting us.

We cannot change our genes, so the solution, according Milne, is to change our modern urban lifestyles, our buildings and even our town plans to better fit our biology. We need to eat and live more like our cavemen ancestors.

• Eat like a hunter-gatherer. Our evolving digestive system is designed for fresh foods, not industrially-processed products with additional sugars. Indeed, evidence suggests that the more your diet diverges from a Palaeolithic norm, the shorter your life is likely to be. The ideal diet is rich in vegetables and proteins, and is shaped by the seasons in the same way our hunter-gatherer ancestors' diets were. That’s good news for the grow-your-own market.
• Live like a hunter-gatherer. Modern urban homes should be no more than six storeys high, have good natural light, and open out to outdoor spaces such as gardens, balconies or roof terraces. Having access to nature - be it through houseplants, pets or being outdoors in gardens and parks - is essential not just for the psychological uplift, but also for the effective working of our ancient immune system. More good news for the garden industry.

Gustav Milne specialises in urban archaeology. His national community-based coastal archaeology project is featured in the Channel 4 series Britain at Low Tide.

‘Uncivilised Genes: Human Evolution and the Urban Paradox’ is published by Independent Thinking Press (Crown House Publishing).

Every week GTN receives and analyses epos data from a number of UK garden centres to produce the GTN Bestsellers charts and weekly bestsellers sales tips.

The full charts which provide useful insight into product sales peaks, new trends and new link sales opportunities are published in the weekly GTN Xtra newsletter.

As the year goes on we give sales volume comparisons with 2015 as well as 2016 to allow your teams to see variations over a three year period.

Access is by subscription only.  For £145.00 per year you and your team can have access to the most up-to-date gardening sales analysis that has already helped many UK garden centres increase their sales.  To subscribe call 01733 775700, e-mail karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or buy on-line using this link.

Highlights of the GTN Garden Products Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Garden Plants Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Veg-2-Gro Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Growing Media Bestsellers chart for this week are here

WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts seriously improve the business of our subscribers.  Invest 15 minutes each week in improving your sales using the GTN Bestsellers charts and your turnover and customer satisfaction will improve too.

A host of catering experts will be showcasing the delights of plant-based cooking as well as offering their insights into how best to integrate vegan meals into the major catering and hospitality trades, at the UK’s first dedicated vegan Trade show,  VegfestUK Trade (Friday  20 October 2017, Olympia London).

Amongst the experts present at the Plant-Based Chefs Corner are:

Italian chef and Soho Radio host Aldo Zilli, alongside nutritionist, chef and author Christine Bailey, vegan caterer Shambhu’s founder Nishma Shah (pictured), 222 Veggie Vegan restaurant head chef Ben Asamani, Vantra restaurant founder and manager Lenny Phong, Amico Bio organic vegetarian Italian restaurant head chef Pasquale Amico, Tofurky chairman and founder Seth Tibbott, as well as vegan cheese maker Mel Rogers from Mel’s Kindness Kitchen.

Radio presenter, author and chef to the A-listers, Aldo Zilli specialises in Italian and vegetarian cuisine. Award-winning chef and restaurateur Aldo says: “Catering for vegans and those who eat a plant-based diet is an art form, and a specialised area, and as one of the first people to open a restaurant in the UK to cater for plant-based diets, I know all about it.

“I’m looking forward to sharing some of my secrets, experiences and recipes with you.”

This area of this inaugural event is tailored to those working in the catering and hospitality trades and the growing Cafe Culture movement. The Corner will include:

• A Vegan Mylk and Latte workshop, looking at the use of plant “milks” in lattes and other caffeinated drinks.
• A Vegan Meat session dissecting the different varieties of plant meats available in the market nowadays.
• A Vegan Cheese Making and Blind Tasting Workshop
• A Vegan Pastries, Cakes and Desserts session involving the making of veganised versions of the traditional favourites for every sweet tooth.
• An Italian masterclass demonstrating how Italian cuisine lends itself well to vegan cooking

• An Optimum Nutrition Vegan Options panel dissecting which vegan options are best for those looking for meals to power them through their hectic lifestyles in the long run.
• A panel discussion where industry experts from the vegan circles discuss the do’s and don’ts of catering for vegans in restaurants, cafes and other eateries as well as what vegans are looking for most when eating out.

It is the aim of the organisers that delegates will take away lots of delicious vegan recipes and useful ideas for incorporating vegan editions of everyday favourites into their own catering and hospitality businesses.

Registration is for trade professionals is here www.trade.vegfest.co.uk/registration. 

Amongst the experts present at the Plant-Based Chefs Corner are:

Italian chef and Soho Radio host Aldo Zilli, alongside nutritionist, chef and author Christine Bailey, vegan caterer Shambhu’s founder Nishma Shah, 222 Veggie Vegan restaurant head chef Ben Asamani, Vantra restaurant founder and manager Lenny Phong, Amico Bio organic vegetarian Italian restaurant head chef Pasquale Amico, Tofurky chairman and founder Seth Tibbott, as well as vegan cheese maker Mel Rogers from Mel’s Kindness Kitchen.

Radio presenter, author and chef to the A-listers, Aldo Zilli specialises in Italian and vegetarian cuisine. Award-winning chef and restaurateur Aldo says: “Catering for vegans and those who eat a plant-based diet is an art form, and a specialised area, and as one of the first people to open a restaurant in the UK to cater for plant-based diets, I know all about it.

“I’m looking forward to sharing some of my secrets, experiences and recipes with you.”

This area of this inaugural event is tailored to those working in the catering and hospitality trades and the growing Cafe Culture movement. The Corner will include:

• A Vegan Mylk and Latte workshop, looking at the use of plant “milks” in lattes and other caffeinated drinks.
• A Vegan Meat session dissecting the different varieties of plant meats available in the market nowadays.
• A Vegan Cheese Making and Blind Tasting Workshop
• A Vegan Pastries, Cakes and Desserts session involving the making of veganised versions of the traditional favourites for every sweet tooth.
• An Italian masterclass demonstrating how Italian cuisine lends itself well to vegan cooking

• An Optimum Nutrition Vegan Options panel dissecting which vegan options are best for those looking for meals to power them through their hectic lifestyles in the long run.
• A panel discussion where industry experts from the vegan circles discuss the do’s and don’ts of catering for vegans in restaurants, cafes and other eateries as well as what vegans are looking for most when eating out.

It is the aim of the organisers that delegates will take away lots of delicious vegan recipes and useful ideas for incorporating vegan editions of everyday favourites into their own catering and hospitality businesses.

Registration is for trade professionals is here www.trade.vegfest.co.uk/registration.