Salford Business school sponsors the black owned BritishExhibition

The annual exhibition, known as the largest shopping experience for cultural items and Black businesses, will showcase over 100 Black Owned Brands on the 6th August at Manchester Central Convention in Manchester.

Monique Kufuor, founder of BOBExpo, established the exhibition in 2018 as a frustrated mum unable to find diverse products for her children. Monique comments, “We found both our sponsorships by introductions by two amazing business leaders in our network. Which is a true reflection of allyship and keeping the door open for others to enter.”

With the help of Lloyds Bank and Salford Business School, BOBexpo are able to host at a central Manchester location which will allow more visibility to these brands with higher footfall and a fully-accessible venue.

Dr Francine Morris, associate dean of enterprise and industry engagement in the Business School comments, “Partnering with BOBExpo was a great choice for us, as Salford Business School want to engage with initiatives that not only reflect the diversity of our students but also our strong desire to support the Black business community.

“The expo will inspire our students to become business owners, helping embed an entrepreneurial and inclusive mindset as they graduate. We know that there will be many inspirational role models and great networking opportunities.”

Explaining the process, Monique comments “the sponsorship has really elevated BOBExpo, we were holding this amazing event for businesses but had limited resources to work with. This limited how much we wanted to do especially when it came to advertising the exhibition and selecting locations.”

Dr Francine Morris, continues “We want to build our relationships with BOB beyond the expo, working with them to help support the wide range of businesses in this vibrant and exciting community”.

This year, the event will feature over 100 brands from an array of categories, and the organisers assure there will be something for everyone, including a food hall showcasing the best of Afro-Caribbean Restaurants, as well as a beauty corner for Afro hair and seminars.