Business fair brings out Durban flavour

LOCAL chefs will participate in the most popular food festival, “Flavours of Durban” at the Durban Exhibition Centre from the 20-22 September.

A first this year is the invitation by eThekwini Municipality to Durban township restaurants such as uMlazi’s Max’s Lifestyle and Clermont’s Tate’s Kasi Grill to name a few, to use the festival as a platform to form co-operative relationships and exchange knowledge with overseas chefs.

The Flavours of Durban will also feature the urban restaurant chefs such as Florida Road’s Butcher Boys and Velvet Lounge and also include Nigerian, Angolan and Chilean chefs.

Shelley Gielink, senior manager within the municipality’s International Governance Relations Unit said apart from including a selection of the finest chefs, this year boasts some of the industry’s very successful female establishments such as Nto’s Catering and Taste of India Restaurant.

“Being a chef is a very crucial business and this year we want them to prosper too so that they will be marketed both locally and internationally,” she added.

Besides the Flavours of Durban, there will be many new exciting features such as the ‘ABSA Retail Buyers Trade Night’ which will premiere the Durban Business Fair on 19 September at the Durban Exhibition Centre.

Head of Business Support, Tourism and Markets Unit, Philip Sithole said through this programme the city hoped to expose small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) to business opportunities. “Our unit is currently busy offering training to the SMMEs to better prepare them on how to uniquely market their products to potential international and national buyers and how to conduct themselves during the Fair,” he added.

The municipality’s Supply Chain Management will for the first time be available at the fair to process registration on the new Supplier Self Service System. The system is the municipality’s upgraded quotation management system for goods under R200 000. It seeks to reform and regulate the manner in which goods and services are procured.

Suppliers who have not yet registered are encouraged to visit the Fair and do so. Friendly staff will be available to assist with the registration process.

Other municipal units will also be present at the Fair to inform the entrepreneurs and public about the services they have in place aimed at supporting and developing SMMEs.