Keynote speaker highlight

We have been working hard on gathering together speakers and exhibitors to make your time in Harrogate 4-5 October a rewarding visit.

Razan Alsous, founder of Yorkshire Dama Cheese (yorkshiredamacheese.co.uk), is one of our speakers at the upcoming show. An immigrant to the UK like myself, she came with her family in a more pressing circumstance – in the wake of the war in Syria and to keep her children safe. Landing in Yorkshire and keen on using the local, delicious milks, she and her husband have built a thriving cheese business over the past several years, with variations on a halloumi-type “squeaky cheese” for grilling, which includes rosemary and za’atar inclusions, among others, in cow and goat versions. Butter, yogurt, labneh, ghee and queso fresco are all made in the Sowerby Ridge location, which has been recently expanded with new lines for products. Her presentation on 4 October at 10am is sure to make you want to try her products and to inspire us all. 

Meanwhile, Donna Berry, a maven in the dairy industry from the US, is coming over to talk about the dairy products globally she uncovers regularly on BerryonDairy.com. Her insights will probably shock you a bit (what is New Zealand’s favourite ice cream?) and you will no doubt enjoy her talk on 5 October at 2pm. 

FD Reviews’ Stephen Minall will be speaking about food and drink development support at 1:30pm on 4 October. The advice is for food business start-ups and he will be explaining how his video service works for companies seeking impartial and honest review of their product ideas, as well as directions on how to make them right for the consumer market.

We cannot forget about the Society of Dairy Technology and its contribution as a main sponsor of our exhibition. I think Nick Edwards is probably one of the busiest retirees I know as its president, and the Society has done an amazing job of combining the knowledge of people in the business for years, with the up and coming new graduates from the dairy training programmes in the UK and Ireland. I think his talk and its meeting will be the highlight of our conference sessions on 5 October at 10am. 

For a dairy girls special for stand space & sponsorship opportunities, please contact:

Samantha Bull – [email protected]

Aimee Carnell – [email protected]