Food and beverage wholesaler, Bidfood, has unveiled a new initiative called the Open Doors Programme, designed to bolster small food and drink suppliers. Launching next month, the program will seek out and provide support to brands and suppliers endeavouring to establish themselves in the market.

The scheme was developed by SME expert and former Bidfood supplier, Andrew Allen. He will collaborate with Bidfood's technical services, buying, procurement, and marketing teams to implement a range of activities tailored to assist emerging suppliers.

Additionally, the program will grant current Bidfood customers access to the new suppliers and their products entering the market. The initiative will kick off with an Open Door Conference on October 2, offering small business suppliers insights into Bidfood's strategic goals and its customer base.

Andrew Selley, CEO of Bidcorp UK, stated: 'The Open Doors Programme represents a significant cross-business commitment towards smaller suppliers.'

'We understand the uniquely challenging environment smaller suppliers have faced in the last few years, whilst also recognising the important role they play in fostering diverse innovation within our industry.'

He added the scheme 'goes hand in hand with our vision to be a positive force for change as we are investing in the future of the supplier base'.

Allen said: 'It's been a pleasure building the Open Doors Programme with the team. Together, we aim to champion the role of the sector and help accelerate the best emerging suppliers down the road of success.'