Next month’s International Food and Drink Event (IFE) for 2025 at London’s Excel venue will feature three days (17–19 March) of insight, updates and expert advice from those who have achieved national and international success in the sector.
A dedicated Exporters Hub area will feature sessions throughout the three days designed to cater to the unique needs and interests of those looking to sell their food and drink products overseas.
On the final day of the event, Joseph Goldsworthy, the Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade’s academy trade and customs specialist, will speak at a panel session on ‘Navigating Global Markets for SMEs’, which aims to give smaller firms insights on how to build a robust export strategy.
The session starts at 1.30pm and will also give attendees the chance to catch up with Goldsworthy afterwards to get further insight from his extensive background in the sector, including on operations as well as customs.
We caught up with Goldsworthy to learn more about what could feature at the session.
What to expect
Speaking ahead of IFE 2025, Goldsworthy said that the core focus of his part of the session is likely to be on “leveraging rules of origin and free trade agreements to win new customers for companies looking to start exporting or grow exports in 2025”.
He says that getting extra understanding “of how FTAs are structured and what trade deals are available to UK exporters” means that traders “can access markets which they may have yet to explore”. As well as this, Goldsworthy says he will “also discuss how to stay on top of changing paperwork requirements to ensure exports flow freely, rather than being delayed at the border”.
Rules of origin, meanwhile, is “a particularly tricky area of customs compliance to navigate, but it offers advantages if applied correctly”. Upskilling staff and making sure your firm is on top of this complex area of trade can put you a step ahead, particularly when making the most of new trade agreements like the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
The lineup
Also speaking at the session will be Christopher Salmon, founder of international trade consulting firm ClearBorder, as well as Joanne Alexander Sefre, founder of food trade consultancy Food Sans Frontières.
The seminar will help attendees to identify the right markets for their products and to get a better understanding of regulations across jurisdictions. It will also offer advice on how best to make use of support provided by the government and organisations like the Chartered Institute.
The panel of “industry leaders and trade specialists” will offer practical guidance that can be applied to growing exports by both those new to exporting and those with experience. Those who attend can expect “advice, resources and a chance to get your questions answered”.
You can secure a pass to IFE 2025 here.
