by Oluwatosin Ojebisi
In its 5th edition after a two-year hiatus due to the global pandemic, Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc returned to its annual free to attend Food and Drink Festival this year with over 140 retail vendors in attendance to showcase and sell an array of deliciously finger-licking and mouth-watering food and drinks. This year’s event was held from April 30th to May 2nd, at the GTCentre, Plot 1, Water Corporation Drive, Oniru, Victoria Island.
The festival which coincided with the Eid al-Fitr celebration was strategically done to mark the end of the fast and month of good. The event also aims to project the diverse angles of the food industry by connecting various businesses involved in the production and sale of food-related items to a cosmopolitan audience of food enthusiasts, culinary entrepreneurs, and food aficionados.
Notwithstanding, the festival was not just about showcasing food but offered food lovers an opportunity to enjoy sumptuous meals with family and friends. It also offered food exhibitors a platform to increase their brand visibility and sales, whilst showcasing their latest products, trends & innovations in the food industry.
In addition, culinary knowledge-sharing sessions during the event in form of Masterclasses were incorporated to foster knowledge and capacity building for all in attendance. Featuring cooking lessons from top Nigerian and foreign chefs, an outdoor grill, and entertainment was witnessed at the event.
Also, the event featured a variety of tastings from casual to gourmet traditional Nigerian dishes, continental specialties, ready-to-eat snacks, finger foods, and drinks. The Children at the event were not left out of the fun as they were specially catered to with a games centre, giving them the opportunity to engage in fun and educational activities.
Making an appearance during the festival is the Group Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, Segun Agbaje. He stated that; “Africa’s history and rich cultural heritage is beautifully reflected in its cuisines. The primary objective of the GTCO Food and Drink Festival is to showcase our diversity and industry as a people whilst delivering a sumptuous culinary experience to food enthusiasts across the continent. As our contribution to the development of local SMEs, we want to see our retail customers who also own small businesses thrive by giving them more opportunities to connect with consumers from around the world.
“At GTCO Plc, we are committed to offering our customers and communities great experiences with every interaction and will continue to promote viable enterprises, particularly in the food and fashion industries, given the massive capabilities and countless multiplier effects inherent in these critical industry segments”. He concludes.
In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos, some vendors commended the bank for its support and investment in the growth of small businesses in Nigeria.
Chief Executive Officer, Yange Yoghurt, Efe Inyang, said, “I am so grateful that GTCO selected our business for this opportunity, it is so huge. We did not do anything but chose to bank with them. For me and my business, it is a big deal and my expectation for the fair is to sell out the things we brought to the fair. I hope to be here also next year if the opportunity is granted to us. We are so grateful to the GTCO. Keep doing what you are doing.
“The sale has been good even though we just came in today, this is our first time at the fair and we got a good spot. Everything has been perfect so far, GTCO is just fantastic at promoting SMEs through this initiative.” Inyang concludes.
Also commenting, Founder of Mmaabacha, a local cuisine shop, Anita Nwoye, said, “We provide meal services for local gatherings by serving local cuisines such as abacha, nkwobi, ugba, and palm wine, among others. It is our first time at the GTCO Food and Drink Festival and we expect wider visibility for our business through this platform. We hope to spread our network and hopefully get investors for our business. GTCO Food and Drink fair has impacted positively on my business and has opened more doors of opportunity for us.
“I expect to broaden the scope of my business from this outing based on the contact I have started gathering,” Nwoye added.
