Maria Whitehead co-owner of Hawkshead Relish has once more been at the forefront of supporting and promoting the Lake District both as a visitor destination and as a place to live and work.
Earlier this week Tuesday (9 July) Maria and over 50 other guests came together at the Lake District’s newest visitor attraction Windermere Jetty to celebrate the second anniversary of the Lake District receiving UNESCO World Heritage Status.
During the celebration Maria addressed the assembled businesses, organisations and community representatives, outlining how Hawkshead Relish had benefitted from utilising Lake District World Heritage Status and encouraged them in turn to utilise the resources and opportunities that the statement could present.
Whilst on Thursday (11 July) Maria played host to Natalie Bain, Deputy Director for the Northern Powerhouse at DiT (Department for International Trade) and Paul Stowers Head of the North West Region. Natalie and Paul visited Hawkshead Relish’s head office at Esthwaite Old Hall Barn, where they toured the site, met members of the team and heard about Hawkshead Relish’s international export successes ahead of a Northern Powerhouse networking event being held on Windermere today (12 July).
Maria Whitehead co-owner of Hawkshead Relish commented: ‘’As a company we have already seen a lift in sales related to the Lake District’s UNESCO World Heritage Status, especially in our export markets. We have found that they are far more receptive to our product ranges, partly due to our growing international reputation as a food business but also in part due to the fact that the reputation of the area in which we choose to operate has been considerably elevated in the eyes of the international business community. World Heritage Status is another tool in the Cumbrian business marketing armoury. I would encourage all businesses seeking to export to international markets to do two things; to maximise their competitive advantage on the world stage. To contact DiT to utilise their experience, networks and knowledge of international markets and to make use of the resources available linked to World Heritage Status.’’
Natalie Bain, Deputy Director for the Northern Powerhouse at DiT, said: ‘’When I talk about the Northern Powerhouse in other countries, I refer to the heritage of the region, as the crucible of the industrial revolution. I then talk about the modern region, pointing to our strengths in food and drink, tech, rail, chemical and financial services. I talk about areas where we are leading the way and how strong we are in those areas. There are a multitude of opportunities waiting to be explored for companies of all shapes and sizes across the region. It’s great to see companies like Hawkshead Relish firmly embracing the opportunities presented to them through DiT and as a result they now export to 12 countries globally, and have more markets expressing interest in what they are doing.’’
