More than 90 ethnic minority business from across the UK converged on the West Midlands for the latest in a series of 'Meet The Buyer' procurement events organised by Minority Supplier Development UK (MSDUK).

Held at The Hawthorns, home of West Bromwich Albion Football Club, 'Meet The Buyer' brought together a wide variety of ethnic business giving them the opportunity to talk face-to-face with corporate buyers from leading companies such as BT, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Frank Haslam Milan, Marriott Hotels and Tyco.

For the first time, MSDUK partnered with local minority business support networks Black Country Asian Business Network (BCABA) and Afro Caribbean Business Federation (ACBF) to reach out to local ethnic minority businesses for this specific event.

MSDUK's specific aim is to develop procurement opportunities between 'corporate Britain' and ethnic minority companies throughout the UK.

Mayank Shah, business development director for MSDUK, says "Once again the response from ethnic minority companies and buyers alike was absolutely fantastic, with the feedback over the last couple of days being overwhelmingly positive.

"The interactive sessions where people get the chance to sit down and talk with buyers one-to-one about anything to do with the business world proved especially popular."

Amrit Karra from Karra Design & Print in Hockley attended the event for the first time and was impressed with what he found. Commented Amrit: "I'd heard only positive feedback about MSDUK from the Institute of Asian Business and was eager to find out more about how membership might benefit my business.

"MSDUK's 'Meet the Buyer' events offer the unique opportunity to meet face to face with senior buyers from multi-million pound organisations and network with fellow minority businesses all under one roof. The concept is brilliant and I'll certainly be returning and recommending MSDUK to my colleagues."

For details about joining MSDUK contact Louise McHale on Tel: 0116 254 2500 or visit the website at www.msduk.org.uk