The annual GTCO Food and Drink festival which was held at the heart of Lagos hosted over 140 food vendors to promote authentic Nigerian food. The Food and Drink festival, sponsored by Guaranty Trust Holding Company, GTCO Plc, has over time served as a platform for promoting food business enterprises in Lagos and beyond.
Now, in its fifth year, organizers have upheld the tradition of creating opportunities for food business experts to showcase their brand and connect with customers from all walks of life.
The free-to-attend three-day festival includes cooking masterclasses of cuisines chosen from all around the world and over 150 free retail stalls displaying everything from the best of Nigeria’s street food to bite-sized gourmet treats and fresh farm produce from the farmers’ market.
Some vendors at the Food and Drink Festival appreciate the GTCO Plc for increased business visibility of their brands following the return of the fair.
According to Segun Agbaje, GTCO Chief Executive Officer, one of the main reasons for organizing the food carnival was to project the diverse angles of Nigeria’s food industry by connecting various businesses involved in the production and sale of food-related items to food enthusiasts.
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This year’s edition, themed “Authentic Nigerian food,” lived up to its hype, as over 150 vendors converged from different parts of the country to showcase the best of Nigerian street food, bite-sized gourmet treats, and fresh farm produce from the farmers’ market.
Aside from the exhibition and sales, the GTCO Food & Drink event also offered other culinary experiences such as food and wine tastings, cooking outdoor grills and entertainment
Some vendors at the ongoing Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc annual Food and Drink Festival have lauded the company for increased business visibility of their brands following the return of the fair.
Ajemina Alabraba of The AJs Gourmet, a vendor at the fair, said “I am so happy to be selected, there have been so many people coming to buy from us. Everybody loves the food and we are selling out.”
She also commended the company for giving back to society by promoting small and medium enterprises through the platform.
“This is our third time as vendors, each year has always been sold out. We sell amala, poundo with egusi soup, catfish, ofada rice and pepper sauce. Thanks so much GTCO for this opportunity,” said Bamilola, 100 hour restaurant vendor at GTCO.
“We make healthy meals, we sell beignets, people are not used to it. Beignets is a french style doughnut. We are introducing the nigeria menu to beignets and we are selling out already, thank you GTCO for the opportunity,” said co-founder of Bon beignet.
