Nestle renames Opus to deliver rebrand message at conference

The two-day conference for 250 delegates takes place at Oxfordshire's Heythrop Park Hotel, Golf & Country Club on 18-19 March. Nestle Foodservices' recent relaunch as Nestle Professional - part of Nestle's move to intensify its focus on the food service market - will be a key theme according to the division's marketing director, Martin Lines.

"The company has taken the decision to increase the level of attention and focus on this sector, so it has created a global division that will give us more resources and strategic direction," said Lines. "The Nestle food service business is worth £3.5bn globally and the objective is to take it to £7bn within the next ten years.

"Part of the brief for this event is to communicate what that rebranding means and how we make it happen. The conference is a big part of our communication to both the sales force and our customers."

All Nestle Professional staff, as well as key UK customers will attend the event, the budget for which "is well into six figures", according to Lines. "As well as the rebrand and its implications, the key business messages will be about the performance of the division in 2007, and also the cultural success factors we need to develop in 2008 from a business perspective," added Lines.

While Opus ran the conference last year, Lines explained that this event always requires competitive tenders. "The decision was not an easy one because the other agencies answered the brief very well," he said. He added that Heythrop Park was the ideal venue because it was easily accessible for delegates from throughout the UK, had good onsite accommodation, and provided a "good canvas" with which to work.

Opus strategic and planning director Freddie Guilmard said the conference would feature a series of workshops, as well as surprise guests.