Sessions 2025

Our live events timetable will be live soon. Here's a sneak peek of what to expect:

The Grocer Stage

The flagship stage within Food & Drink Expo, content for The Grocer Stage is curated in partnership with the team at The Grocer. Covering the key trends impacting the UK grocery retail market, you can expect hard-hitting interviews, lively debates and data and insight, as well as the Britain’s Best Cake competition.

Restaurant Stage

A hybrid area that sees a mix of interactive demonstrations and thought-leadership panels and interviews. Curated in partnership with Restaurant, the Restaurant Stage has something for everyone, with 2025 speakers including:

Sacha Lord, Night Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester

Joké Bakare, Founder, Chishuru

Juliane Caillouette-Noble. Managing Director, The Sustainable Restaurant Association

Sat Bains, Chef Proprietor, Restaurant Sat Bains

Convenience Store Stage

Showcasing content dedicated to the latest trends impacting the UK convenience retail market, The Convenience Store Stage has something for everything, whether that be insight, interviews, live product pitches or lively panel discussions. Curated in partnership with the team at conveniencestore.co.uk, speakers confirmed for this stage include:

Tina Mitchell, Retail Director, Waitrose & Partners

John Miller, Head of Franchise, One Stop

Ed Woodall, Government Relations Director, ACS

Paul Dobson, Wholesale & Franchise Director, Morrisons

Victoria Lockie, Retail Director, Unitas Wholesale

Food Manufacture Stage

In the heart of Foodex Manufacturing Solutions, the Food Manufacture Stage is curated in partnership with the team at Food Manufacture. Committed to showing content covering the key topics impacting the manufacturing sector, we are working alongside leading associations to ensure content is relevant. Speakers confirmed for 2025 include:

Verity Davidge, Director of Policy, Make UK

Donna Fordyce, Chief Executive, Seafood Scotland

Rod Addy, Director General, Provision Trade Federation

Mike Hughes, Head of Research and Insight, FMCG Gurus

Farm Shop & Deli Stage

Packed full of theatre and entertainment, the Farm Shop & Deli Stage is always a hive of activity, whether that be with headline interviews or the eagerly anticipated Dragons’ Pantry competition, which sees entrepreneurs pitch their products to a group of buyers. 2025 is sure to be no different, with confirmed speakers including:

Renée Elliott, Founder, Planet Organic

Emma Mosey, Chair, Farm Retail Association

Paul Hargreaves, Chief Empowerment Officer, Cotswold Fayre

Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, The Black Farmer

Nicki Stewart, Director, Diverse Fine Food