Submitted by:
Miss Angel Smith
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What Could You Change?
On Sunday 7th September I took a trip down to the Speciality Fine Food Fair, which takes place annually at the Olympia Exhibition Centre.
My Mum, runs a business called Jenny’s Jam (www.jennysjams.co.uk) and as you might have guessed by the name, she produces her own award winning jam and sells it. She had a stand at the Fine Food Fair in partnership with the fruit farm Keys (www.keysoflincolnshire.co.uk) which supplies her the fruit.
I wasn’t really sure what to expect as I had never been before but as I walked down each isle and sampled the ‘Hand Whipped Devonshire Ice Cream’, the ‘Organic Balsamic Vinegar Dressing’, the ‘Dorset Matured Cheddar’ I was delighted to spot a group of sista’s with their own stand entitled Lóngé Foods (http://www.longe.co.uk/). Lóngé Foods had a range of beautifully packaged African snacks. Until that point I thought it was only mum that was a black producer of fine foods exhibiting that day.
I spoke to Bamidele Akomolafe who was on the stall with her mother and her friend. She told me all about Lóngé’s concept. Currently local famers in Africa produce their own raw materials but then ship them to the West to be made into the finished product. Lóngé Foods has a goal to eradicate poverty by empowering local farmers to not only produce their raw materials but to make the final product as well, this creates jobs, which in turn improve the life of the community around them. I must express that Lóngé Foods are a company not a charity and they were exhibiting to try and find stockists and distributers. I was impressed to say the least and had to ask myself how many companies I knew who’s core way of making a profit also made a difference? The Plantain Chips were delicious!
I skipped away from them happily, delighted that I had found such a fantastic company with an inspiring goal. It brought it home to me how few of us we need to make a change in our world to the things we don’t like. I'm definitely going to take a second glace at the way I do things and run my business. Perhaps one day I to could change the lives of a whole community, could you?
Notes:
The Speciality & Find Food Fair 2008 took place in London Olympia Exhibition Centre
A range of high resolution photographs are available upon request.
As well as being a keen writer, Angel Smith is the creator of award winning www.shoelagoon.com an online paradise of shoes, bags and accessories.
