The South West is the most popular regional tourist destination in Western Australia. 
Jakarta event to showcase food and wine from Manjimup and Pemberton areas
Thursday, 15 July 2010
The South West Development Commission expects a promotional dinner it is organising for Jakarta later this month will serve up new export opportunities for food and wine producers in the Warren-Blackwood area.
To be held at The Ritz-Carlton in the Indonesian capital on Thursday July 29, the event will see about 100 guests including food and beverage suppliers dine on dishes featuring truffles, wild mushrooms and yabbies.
A special lunch for media representatives will be held prior to the dinner as part of a push to increase the profile of places such as Manjimup and Pemberton in Indonesia's food and lifestyle publications.
Both the dinner and lunch will be cooked by South West chef Dennis Mifsud, who will fly to Indonesia especially for the occasion.
South West Development Commission export advisor Mat Lewis, who has been putting together the event with the aid of the WA Trade Office, said the dinner was designed to create new markets for producers in the Southern Forests wanting to trade with Indonesia.
"The Commission works to enhance export opportunities for South West businesses − and past events similar to the upcoming dinner in Jakarta have proven rewarding for businesses that participated," he said.
"The Taste of Margaret River event held at The Ritz-Carlton in Jakarta last year for instance was successful in setting up a variety of partnerships.
"It created listings for a number of producers from the Margaret River area and highlighted the South West region as an attractive food and wine tourism destination.
"It also led to the first truffle dinner being staged in Indonesia and a partnership being established with Garuda Indonesia for a larger Western Australian promotion next year."
Mr Lewis said the upcoming dinner would provide a platform for businesses to launch or further establish their products in Indonesia.
"There are opportunities for the right products to find a market in Indonesia, which represents a sixth of Western Australia's agricultural exports, shares the same time zone as WA and is only about a three hour flight from Perth," he said.
Salitage owner John Horgan, a top exporter who will be travelling to Indonesia to take part in the event, said it was important to take up opportunities to visit potential customers.
"There is an increasing awareness around the world that where a wine comes from is important," he said.
Mr Horgan said Salitage wines were an ideal fit for an event such as the food and wine dinner in Jakarta and he was looking forward to participating.
"Salitage wines are made to be consumed with food, and our winemaker pays a lot of attention to wine and food matching," he said.
The events in Jakarta are part of the South West Development Commission's broader promotion of South West products to international markets. Examples of the Commission's efforts to support regional trade include the activities of its TradeStart office and Bunbury-Jiaxing Business Office.
…ENDS
Media contact:
Teneille
Watson
Community Relations Officer
M: 0417 961 051
Chef Dennis Mifsud and Salitage owner John Horgan will be promoting food and wine from the Warren-Blackwood region at a dinner at The Ritz-Carlton in Jakarta.
