CFE works in partnership with Business Link For London

Caribbean Food Emporium develops events for 2003 with Business Link for London

The Business Link Development Arm based at Centre Point, New Oxford Street, London has a department whose brief it is to focus on Black and Minority Ethnic Businesses – those wholly owned by a minority or at least 51% owned by a minority. Caribbean Food Emporium will continue to organise events for Caribbean Food and Drink Businesses, and many events will now be commissioned or endorsed by Business Link. This is boost to the Caribbean Food and Drink Industry which had been ignored for a period of time, because there was no overall representation or intermediary.

The knowledge centre, headed by Vernon Barret, has been instrumental in their support for the work CFE does. This department mainly concentrates on research, conducting pilots, and making recommendations to Government bodies such as SBS and DTI. Funding is available from various sources such as European Funds and the LDA. Various partners also support the work, including the Asian Business Association, and EFWBO.

10 major Cultural Groupings benefit from this department, including: African, Asian, Caribbean, Chinese, Turkish, Vietnamese, Thai.

Links have already been made by this Business Link department, with the Black Hairdressing Industry, which is the most successful black area of business - to date. A report was commissioned with Anne Long Murray heading the project, and Grace Kelly - organiser of the Afro Hair and Beauty Show - assisting in the research, in conjunction with a University.

D. Grant

January 2003