The West Midlands Region - At the heart of quality cuisine
February 2007
From Michelin starred restaurants to Birmingham’s Balti belt, global local-born brands such as Cadbury and Bass and niche regional producers, the West Midlands is recognised the world over as a premier location for food and drink.
The region is the location of choice for many leading national and international brands such as Muller, Florette, Nestle and PepsiCo which have been attracted by the unique central location, ideal for food logistics and distribution.
The food and drink sector includes some 2,600 regional businesses and employs approximately 66,000 people directly, with a further 100,000 or more in the wider supply chain. Food and drink employment in the West Midlands is forecast to grow by approximately 2.5 per cent by 2012.
The West Midlands is the leader in the production of multicultural cuisine with more than 130 manufacturers producing Chinese, Indian and Afro-Caribbean food.
East End Foods, based in West Bromwich, is one of the largest importers of Indian foods into the UK, with 16.86 per cent of the total UK spice imports (Mintel Report, July 2003). The company has more than 30 years experience and has an annual turnover of £94 million. Over 80 per cent of Asian independent stores stock East End’s range as well as all the major UK multiples.
The wide product range covers over 1,250 lines sourced from around the globe.
In contrast to East End Foods, Midlands Herbs and Spices in Sparkhill positions itself as ‘still probably the smallest spice company in the UK’.
Visitors to the region enjoy an extensive range of exotic cuisines. Birmingham in particular conjures up a world of enticing flavours to suit all tastes and budgets, with its speciality shops, markets and food halls bringing together a global mix of produce.
The vast majority of Balti houses are situated in the Sparkbrook, Balsall Heath and Moseley areas of South Birmingham, which essentially forms the famous ‘Balti Triangle’.
Each restaurant jealously guards its own special recipes but spices like cumin, cardamom, coriander, cloves, cassia bark and ginger are typically used. Most of the restaurants are unlicensed with diners bringing their own wine and beers with a number of off-licences conveniently situated in the area.
The range and reputation of the region’s restaurants continues to grow. Known as the home of rich cultural diversity, the evidence is all around in the wide choice of great places to eat. This is complemented by an abundance of stylish new restaurants and bars.
Spice weekends are available at www.birminghambites.com and include cookery demonstrations by the best Balti chefs in the city. As part of a weekend package you can learn how to cook an authentic Balti dish, sample some of the tastes and flavours of the area and go shopping with an experienced chef, who can teach you all there is to know about the spices and other ingredients.
For more information visit: www.thewestmidlandsregion.co.uk
For further information please contact Claire Brown at Seal Communications on 01743 234 224
