Business owners or managers that stock confectionery and soft drinks are welcome to attend a retail trade show this Friday between 10am to 3pm at the South Lismore Bowling Club.

Beach & Bush Distributors is the company organising the trade show. Branch Manager Philip Hyde said it is an opportunity for people in the petrol and convenience store sector to meet the suppliers behind the scenes.

"We've got over 40 suppliers coming, so people from Red Bull, people from Cadbury, people from Nestlé," Philip told the Lismore App, "You might see a sales rep, but you are actually meeting people from these businesses. Normally, you deal with the middleman, which is the wholesaler, being Beach and Bush, so it's a great chance for customers to come and meet those people."

Local suppliers will also be in attendance, like the Byron Bay Cookie Company, Byron Bay Beef Jerky, Byron Bay Captured Water, Madura Tea from Casuarina, Sunshine Sugar and more.

"Usually, when it comes to trade shows, it's all about the best deal at the time. So, it's also a chance for people to potentially invest buy at a good price and just sell it out. For example, we've got Bundaberg brewed drinks. Their flavours will be the

cheapest they've been in any of our promotional catalogues for the last eight months. And they won't be that cheap again till maybe another tradeshow sometime next year potential."

Unfortunately, as it is a trade show, the day will not be open to the public.

"This is for any business owner that is selling in the confectionery game, sells in the drinks game or even sells in the packaging game because we have a packaging company that's coming down where you can do your pie bags, your takeaway trays, your hamburger boxes and stuff in your cardboard," said Philip.

"You don't need to be a customer of Beach & Bush, anyone is more than welcome to come down to see what we have available and what's on offer. And if there's a good deal that they're interested in, they can still place an order, and then we can reach out the week after and talk to them about getting that price to them. Even if it's a one-off delivery, then it's a win for the business."

"There'll be samples there for people to take home as well."

The trade show is not just for Lismore businesses, it will attract people from all over the North Coast.

"Our service area goes from Robina and Miami on the Gold Coast down to Coffs Harbour, Macksville and Stewart's Point to the south."

With a lot of people driving into Lismore on Friday for the trade show, the hope is that many will stop in town to purchase something and help our local economy.

"Our business is based in Goonellabah. Businesses need to support other businesses, and businesses need to support our local community. So instead of doing it all in-house and putting everything up here at our warehouse, if we can support businesses downtown, like the South Lismore Bowling Club, then that's a win for the town, and it's a win for the economy for the town because it draws people into the CBD. People get to see the town for what it is."

The Beach and Bush Trade Show is this Friday (September 8) between 10am and 3pm at the South Lismore Bowling Club.