Local food and drink producers are invited to take part in a series of marketing masterclasses designed to help boost their brand and customer reach.

The four workshops, developed in association with the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture’s Food Matters strategy, will be served up by food business specialist Fiona Fitzpatrick and social media expert Kirsty Lawrence.

Between them, they have worked with countless businesses to design and implement successful social media strategies and brand identities.

Producers are encouraged to attend all four sessions as they will form a step-by-step guide. The weekly two hour sessions will be held at the Engine House in Castletown and start at 5:30pm on 6 April. They will cost £50 per each and cover the following topics.

• Wednesday 6 April – Winning in your market
• Wednesday 13 April – Building a brand that can win
• Wednesday 20 April – The digital Eco-system and the importance of engaging content
• Wednesday 27 April – Crafting great social media and an introduction to Facebook and Instagram adverts

Fiona Fitzpatrick, who runs a chart topping UK business podcast called Brand Growth Heroes, said:

‘Kirsty and I are delighted to team up with DEFA and help local food and drink businesses to develop their branding and marketing to support their future growth.

‘We are immensely lucky to live on an Island with such rich agricultural lands, a strong tradition of world-class farming, UNESCO Biosphere status, and a growing list of food entrepreneurs so the possibilities are very exciting.’

Local producers can register here, or find out more information by emailing food@gov.im.

Clare Barber MHK, Minister for DEFA, said:

‘As part of the Food Matters Strategy we are looking to grow the industry by £50m by 2025, so we are delighted to team up with Fiona and Kirsty to empower our producers to reach new audiences and optimise the way they connect with consumers.’