PetQuip is organising a meet-the-buyer event to bring trade purchasers from Belgium and Ireland into direct contact with British suppliers of pet care products. This is a great opportunity for you to hold one-to-one meetings with overseas buyers looking for new products from the UK. It’s also a hugely cost-effective way of getting your goods and services in front of an international audience.

We have two trade buyers for you to meet on this occasion: a distributor from Belgium and a multiple retailer of pet care products from Ireland.

To request a meeting with either or both of them, please complete and return the attached application form by Wednesday 5 November. We will contact you soon after with confirmation of the meeting slots that have been allocated to you.

Format of the day

Register in the Cedar Cottage, Notcutts Garden Centre on arrival, where you will be welcomed with tea and coffee.

The meet-the-buyer sessions will last for approximately 20 minutes, commencing at 9.30am and continuing throughout the day until about 4.00pm. As far as possible, we’ll try to allocate meetings close together so that participants will not need to be at the venue all day.

Participating trade buyers

These are the trade buyers from Belgium and Ireland who have confirmed their participation in the event:

Indobel, Montzen, Belgium

Mrs Myrèse Wonner-Wirajendi, Managing Director

www.indobel.com

Indobel is a Belgian importer and distributor of unique products for garden, pets and lifestyle. Established in 1994, it is a family business, run by husband and wife team Myrèse and Jim Wirajendi. Indobel currently represents European and American manufacturers and is already importing from one PetQuip member in the UK.

Indobel’s pet care range focuses on high quality innovative products for dogs, cats, small mammals and wild birds, including training aids, snacks and all types of accessories. Indobel supplies independent pet shops and pet retail chains in Belgium and The Netherlands. In addition, it is able to supply other European countries through its links with local wholesalers. This year, the company has exhibited at Anido in Kortrijk, Belgium and Interzoo in Nuremberg.

Myrèse Wonner-Wirajendi is currently looking for all types of pet care product to add to the Indobel range.

Connacht Gold Co-operative Society Ltd, Co. Sligo, Ireland

Mr Michael Tuohy, Manager, Sligo Store

www.connachtgold.ie

Located in western Ireland, Connacht Gold is a co-operative society with interests ranging from dairy and timber processing to property management and retailing. Established in 2000 by the merger of North Connacht Farmers' Co-operative Society and Kiltoghert Co-operative Agricultural & Dairy Society Ltd, today it has 14,100 farmer shareholders and directly employs 500 people. Sales turnover in 2007 was €320 million.

Connacht Gold’s 29 retail stores have diversified and now sell not only agricultural goods but increasingly also garden and DIY items to appeal to a wider customer base. It has five ultra-modern new concept Connacht Gold, DIY & Garden Centres located in Tubbercurry, Ballina, Ballinrobe, Ballyhaunis and Ballaghaderreen and a modern DIY & Garden Store in Mohill. Further Connacht Gold, DIY & Garden Centres are planned for Sligo, Swinford, Castlebar and Westport. The 24,000sq ft Sligo store, due to open in spring 2009, will include a 6,000sq ft state-of-the-art pet department.

Michael Tuohy is seeking all types of pet care product.

The venue