SIXTEEN food and drink producers from Worcestershire and Herefordshire are all set to tempt top store buyers.

The first Midlands Regional Food and Drink Trade Show, managed by Heart of England Fine Foods (HEFF) on behalf of regional development agency, Advantage West Midlands (AWM), is due to take place this Sunday, October 12, and Monday, October 13, at Millennium Point, in Birmingham.

Nick Paul, chairman of AWM, will officially launch the event on Monday, but trading for more than 60 exhibitors will get under way on Sunday.

"Interest from food and drink buyers from all over the Heart of England region has been terrific," said Karen Davies, HEFF chief executive. "Enquiries have come in thick and fast via our trade show website and we have pre-registered over 1,000 guests.

"We are looking forward to welcoming buyers from all the major supermarkets, convenience stores, delicatessens, food halls and catering businesses in the UK."

Companies from Worcestershire include: Bennett's Ice Cream, Lower Wick, Worcester; Essential Dressings, Malvern; Goodman's Geese, Great Witley; Handmade Scotch Egg Company, Cradley, near Malvern; Knight's Cider, Storridge, near Malvern; Malvern Cheesewrights, Whittington, Worcester; Tipsage Gins, Tenbury Wells.

Companies from Herefordshire include: Aconbury Sprouts and Cake Company, both from Hereford; Castle Aromatics and James' Gourmet Coffee, both from Ross-on-Wye; Flights Orchard Organics, Just Rachel Icecream and Newberry Farm Foods, all from Ledbury; Lulham Court Vineyard, Madley, near Hereford; Tyrrells Chips, Leominster.