This year’s National Buying Group (NBG) Conference and AGM is set to be the biggest and best ever, with a record number of suppliers at the in-conference exhibition.

Held at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool on 13-14 November, the event will bring together NBG’s merchant partners for the formal proceedings of the AGM, along with a full a programme of business and leisure activities.

The trade exhibition will feature 158 supplier stands, which is an increase of 17% on last year. The event is set to be extremely well supported by both merchants and suppliers with more than 540 delegates attending, including 165 owners, principles, and managing directors of the NBG merchant partners, and nearly 360 representatives from NBG suppliers.

“The NBG exhibition reinforces the organisation’s ongoing focus on supporting manufacturing brands with the theme being ‘Building Our Brands – Bigger, Bolder, Better.’ NBG offers a unique opportunity for independent merchants and their suppliers to interact, network together and do business,” said NBG managing director Nick Oates.

“Promoting and supporting our suppliers branded products through the new product showcase, special promotions and the face-to-face exhibition is a key message of the Conference. Our delegates report that they always return from the NBG Conference full of new ideas to improve and optimise their businesses and the exchange of information and sharing of best practice in an atmosphere of mutual cooperation is unrivalled.”

In addition to the AGM business and exhibition, this year will see the second Supplier Summit, a supplier-only seminar where NBG suppliers will be kept abreast of the latest NBG developments and innovations, along with plans for further improving the organisation’s operations.