Thanks to those who have already completed our members survey. If you have not already completed the survey, we would be grateful if you could please follow this link and fill the survey in. It should only take around 2-3 minutes. 

In this weeks newsletter: 

Great Taste Awards
Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards 2020
Royal Highland Show
Free PR for family businesses in the food and drink industry. 
Members survey
BBC's Dragon Den
Trade barrier service
Destination Known Event
Make Innovation Happen: Insight to Foresight Event
Offers
In the news
Dates for your diary

We are pleased to be able to provide BID members with information about offers, deals and opportunities but would like to highlight that we are not recommending any of the third party service providers.

Have you heard of Buzz? It is East Lothian Council's Economic Development business newsletter.  The Buzz team are looking to do a feature on family businesses in the food and drink industry. If you are interested in being part of this feature, email info@scotlandsfooddrinkcounty.com by Friday 14th of February. All we would need is 100 words talking about your family business and an image! 

You can find an example of the most recent Buzz Magazine here. 

We would appreciate if you could take a few minutes to complete our member survey. Your input and feedback will help us direct our resources to the areas that you require support in to grow your businesses. To complete our survey, follow this link (you will be taken to a SurveyMonkey survey):

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/5ZQ27JZ

The survey should only take 3-4 minutes to complete.

Of course, we are happy to talk to any member individually but it would be great if you could let us know your thoughts via this survey. 

The survey will remain open until 4pm on Friday the 14th of February.

The UK and Scottish government have launched a new service to help tackle the barriers that businesses face when exporting. A trade barrier is something that slows down, limits or prevents a UK business exporting to or investing in an overseas market. After the UK’s exit from the EU we can expect new, more and more valuable barriers for Scotland’s exporters.

Businesses, representative organisations and industry bodies can use the new tool to log any barriers to exporting goods or servicing they are experiencing. Advisors from the Department for International Trade (DIT) will then aim to email you within 5 working days to let you know if they can help. 

To report a trade barrier visit https://www.great.gov.uk/report-trade-barrier/

Before filling in the form:

• Check that your problem is a trade barrier. 
• be ready to include as much information as you can about the barrier and its impacts
• remember to indicate that your business is located in Scotland.

Thursday 19th March 2019

The Brunton 9.30am – 1.00pm

Continuing their annual programme of industry events to coincide with Scottish Tourism Month, Visit East Lothian invites you to join them and a panel of speakers for an engaging and interactive morning followed by a networking lunch.

For more information and  to book your space, click here. 

12 February 
Make Innovation Happen: Insight to Foresight- Smart planning for food and drink companies
 
17 February
Entries close: Great Taste Awards (General Entry)

28 February 
Deadline: RSVP for Royal Highland Show