“Two years accelerate by at pace, nothing stands still,” says Rob Clayton AHDB Potatoes’ Strategy Director. This month the whole potato industry heads again to Harrogate 12 & 13 November, for BP2015.
“It’s not only the venue of Harrogate International Centre and the brand new companies that are exhibiting that’s different. The £4.1bn potato industry continually becomes leaner, more specialist and business-like.
“We are grateful for Branston and Grimme’s support as gold sponsors. This bespoke event is all about cementing relationships, seeing innovation and production launches and learning from others, either in the expert-led seminars and panel debates, from conversations on one of the 200 stands or in the bar after the industry dinner.”
For the first time it’s a genuinely indoor affair with our all machinery specialists and exhibitors sheltered from the November weather.
“We’re particularly extending our welcome to our youngsters,” says Dr Philip Burgess AHDB Potatoes’ head of Knowledge Transfer. “Whether part of our Next Generation programme, one of our PhD students or one of our day-trippers joining us from Agricultural courses around the country, these are two days in which you can talk, listen and get to grips with the opportunities and enthusiasm that go hand in hand with the potato sector.”
Jim Aitken, Senior Field Manager, at joint BP2015 Gold sponsor Branston Limited, is excited about the event. “Branston is one of the major players in the country for pre-pack potatoes but we also produce processing potatoes,” says Jim. “Branston has been one of the major BP sponsors for several years and we are again this year.”
“It’s important that we’re demonstrating our wares and engaging with everyone in the industry. There’s always change in the industry, a lot of it’s slow and quite incremental but you find over the years things move on and do change. Branston likes to be involved where ever possible in the cutting edge of industry changes both in terms of technology and in terms of customer driven need and customer driven demand.”
