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Posted: Mon 26th Oct 2026
11 min read
From reaching major wholesalers to getting feedback that can help a brand scale, three small businesses share how Supply Connect’s Meet the Buyer events have helped them explore new commercial opportunities and build confidence in selling to larger buyers.
Getting a meeting with the right buyer can be a challenge for a small business. Founders may have products ready for a wider market, but finding the right contact, securing an introduction and understanding what buyers expect can take time.
Supply Connect is helping businesses tackle these challenges by bringing small businesses together with buyers, distributors and wholesalers through its Meet the Buyer events.
In this case study, three food and drink businesses – Period Harmony, CHIMMY’S and Alchemy – share what they gained from taking part, from developing relationships with established wholesalers to securing follow-up conversations and getting practical feedback on their products.
Their experiences show how these events can help founders take the next step towards wholesale growth.
Delivered by Newable Advice and Enterprise Nation, with support from JPMorganChase, Supply Connect helps eligible micro and small businesses in food and drink, construction, and facilities management become better prepared to access supply chain opportunities.
So far, Newable Advice has organised four Meet the Buyer events and six Procurement Clubs, combining opportunities to connect with potential buyers with practical support to help businesses become ready to supply larger organisations.
Supply Connect gives small businesses practical support to strengthen their offer, understand tendering and connect with buyers. Learn more about the programme
Raminder Samra, founder of Period Harmony, says the support from Supply Connect has helped her develop both as a founder and as a business owner:
"Working with Meera Govind and the Supply Connect team has been invaluable to both my confidence as a founder and the growth of Period Harmony.
"Their practical guidance, encouragement and commitment to helping my business succeed have helped me approach buyers with greater confidence and secure new wholesale contracts."
The Meet the Buyer event was a particular highlight for Period Harmony. Through Supply Connect, Raminder was able to continue conversations with Suma, one of the UK’s largest wholefood wholesalers, and discuss the brand’s products directly with its team.
She continues:
"Having the opportunity to develop that relationship and discuss our products directly with their team has been hugely valuable. For a growing brand, access to buyers of this scale can make a significant difference to our prospects."
Building relationships with established buyers can be an important step for a growing brand. Supply Connect’s support has helped Raminder feel better equipped to pursue those opportunities and take Period Harmony forward.
"Supply Connect has been essential in helping us scale, providing the support and connections to turn conversations into meaningful commercial opportunities," she explains.
"Meera and the team have helped me feel more equipped to pursue larger contracts and take the business forward with confidence."
For Sofia Cardoso, founder of CHIMMY’S, the event provided an opportunity to make a connection she had been trying to establish for at least 18 months.
Sofia had been looking for a way to speak to the right person at foodservice wholesaler Brakes. Through Supply Connect’s Meet the Buyer event, she finally had the opportunity to introduce her products directly to a buyer, and the conversation led to a positive response.
She explains:
"I’m extremely excited to share that the buyer was very happy with our products and has asked me to send over further information."
While the potential account is still being explored, the introduction has given CHIMMY’S a route to a new commercial opportunity that had previously been difficult to access.
"If we manage to open an account with Brakes, it would represent a huge step forward for CHIMMY’S and could have a significant impact on our growth," she says.
Sofia says the encouragement and opportunities provided by Supply Connect have also prompted her to think differently about where the business could go next:
"Our conversations have really inspired me to look at business opportunities I may have been missing and encouraged me to take the next step in growing CHIMMY’S."
Making connections with buyers is one part of the process. Understanding what those buyers are looking for – and how to position a business to meet their expectations – can be just as valuable.
For Talia Gaye and Lucy Martin, founders of Alchemy, the Meet the Buyer event offered the chance to speak directly with buyers, hear their feedback and gain a clearer understanding of what retailers and distributors need from the brands they work with.
"We loved the Meet the Buyer event," says Talia.
"It gave us the opportunity to speak directly with buyers, get real feedback on the brand and our product, and make sure we get our margins right in order to scale successfully."
For a small business preparing to grow its wholesale operation, getting the margins right is an important part of building a sustainable model.
Feedback from buyers can help founders understand how to present their products, assess whether an opportunity is commercially viable, and identify where they may need to make changes.
Talia and Lucy came away from the event with a clearer idea of how to position Alchemy for future opportunities.
They also highlight the value of having a team behind them that understands the challenges of growing a small business.
"The support from the Supply Connect team has also been super encouraging throughout, and it genuinely feels like they want to see the businesses on the programme succeed," says Lucy.
The experiences of Period Harmony, CHIMMY’S and Alchemy show how Meet the Buyer events can support businesses at different stages of their growth.
For some, the value lies in developing an existing relationship with a major wholesaler. For others, it is finally getting in front of a buyer after months of trying to make contact.
And for businesses preparing to scale, direct feedback can help them make more informed decisions about pricing, positioning and future sales opportunities.
The events sit alongside the wider support available through Supply Connect, including Procurement Clubs, practical guidance and advice to help businesses become ready to supply larger organisations.
As Raminder explains, that combination of connections and ongoing support has made a difference to Period Harmony at a crucial stage of its development:
"I’m incredibly grateful for their belief in Period Harmony and the care they put into their support. The programme has made a real difference at a crucial stage of our growth, and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to other founders (and already have)."
A meeting with a buyer does not guarantee a contract, but it can give a small business a valuable opportunity to start a conversation, understand what a potential customer needs, and work out what to do next.
By helping founders get those conversations started, Supply Connect is making it easier for small businesses to explore new markets and pursue opportunities that might otherwise be difficult to reach.
Supply Connect continues to connect small businesses with procurement and supply chain opportunities across food and drink, construction, and facilities management.
If you’re a small business looking to become more confident about supplying larger organisations, you can meet the team at an upcoming event:
Meet the Buyer: Procurex Wales 2026 – 11 November 2026, Cardiff. Explore public sector procurement and supply chain opportunities with the Supply Connect team.
Supply Connect is open to eligible UK-registered micro and small businesses with fewer than 50 employees that have been trading for at least 18 months and operate in food and drink, construction or facilities management.
Find out more about Supply Connect and explore the support, resources and connections available to help your business become ready to supply. Register now
