FDBusiness.com

A host of UK and European producers and manufacturers attended Oakland International’s ‘Breaking into Irish Retail’ event on Wednesday 21st September in Redditch. Major industry speakers included Steve Young, Supply Chain Manager for the Musgrave Group, and Liam Gilbert, Business Analyst at IGD, as well as an address by Declan Cleary, Commercial Manager for Brian Caffrey International, and Tadhg O’Donovan, Sales and Marketing Manager for Irish dairy producer Glenilen Farm.

Pictured (L to R): Declan Cleary, Commercial Manager for Brian Caffrey International; Liam Gilbert, Business Analyst at IGD; Dean Attwell, MD of Oakland International; Tadhg O’Donovan, Sales and Marketing Manager for Irish dairy producer Glenilen Farm; and Steve Young, Supply Chain Manager for the Musgrave Group.

Oakland International MD, Dean Attwell, says: “The day was a real success. Our positive experience of running this type of export retail event is evident in the business success between the two countries that follows. This is the third UK–Ireland trade event that we have hosted since we set up our Irish business partnership in Ashbourne, nearDublin nearly three years ago, and our business continues to grow.”

Discussions on the day dealt with the realities for potential exporters to Ireland, and how perceived barriers can be overcome when entering the Irish market, together with the many opportunities for growth that exporting and doing business with Ireland represents.

Dean Attwell adds: “Our intention is to continue a rolling programme of UK and Ireland seminars in the spring, extending the focus to incorporate European producers and manufacturers that have an existing UK presence but as yet have not entered the Irish market.”

A multi temperature supply chain specialist, Oakland International operates depots in both the UK and Ireland and through its network partners has reach across most of Europe.