SPECIALIST food retailer Lewis & Cooper is targeting the US after a showcase event in North Yorkshire.

The Northallerton company attended an event for US buyers at the Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate.

The event was organised by North Yorkshire Export Forum working in association with Business Link North Yorkshire, North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce and Yorkshire Pantry.

Lewis & Cooper, which employs 75 staff, hopes to build on the US interest via its website, www.lewis-and-cooper.co.uk.

Lewis & Cooper was founded in 1899, as a manufacturer and supplier of gourmet food and drink.

Among the products it is hoping to sell to the US are home-made plum puddings, which are made to a 100-year-old secret recipe at its Northallerton premises.

Tony Howard, managing director of the company, said: "We have has some very positive feedback from the buyers and have sent them various samples to test.

"We already attract quite a bit of interest for our products abroad, via the Internet, but to break into the US market would be a huge boost for the business and lead to further expansion of an already rapidly developing business."

The showcase event in Harrogate was part of the York and North Yorkshire Export Forum's Achieving Export Excellence Campaign.

The initiative is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund and is developed, designed and delivered by the Export Forum.

Details of the initiative can be obtained from the Business Link information centre on (01904) 686 000