8 April 2016 – The Grocer Talking Shop Live will take centre stage at Food & Drink Expo 2016 next week, with an action-packed programme, that provides visitors with insights into the latest issues affecting the UK food and drink market. A top line-up of speakers has been confirmed for the event, with debates across the most topical issues affecting the food and drink industry taking place during the three-day show.
The first day of Food & Drink Expo will begin strongly, with a host of big names taking to the stage. One such person is Nadiya Hussein, Great British Bake Off winner 2015, who will host a live demo from 10.45am, sharing the baking secrets that won her first place on the popular BBC programme.
One of the most important sessions at the show will take place at 1pm on the first day, when a group of experts will assemble for The Great Health Debate where they will discuss who is really responsible for changing eating habits and the rising obesity problem. Tim Rycroft, Corporate Affairs Director, the Food & Drink Federation; Anna Jones, chef, author and food stylist; Phil Vickery, chef, presenter and cookery book author; and Amanda Ursell, nutritionist and journalist for The Times and The Sun, will offer their thoughts on the topic in a debate-style session.
A further panel will investigate the changes necessary when it comes to targeting millennials versus the ageing society. Hosted by Claire Nuttall, founder of The Brand Incubator, this session at 2.30pm will feature several brands and businesses that will offer their advice on how to get it right with both younger and older audiences.
Day two will offer more topical sessions, such as a look at the rise of gluten-free products. Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne, Founder of Genius Foods, will take the stage at 10.45am to describe her story of evolving the brand from a niche health store product to an innovative supermarket staple.
The ever topical sugar debate will be the focus at The Grocer Talking Shop Live at 12.15pm later that day. Industry experts will discuss whether proposed measures could really work to reduce obesity levels or whether the onus is on manufacturers to cut added sugar in the panel hosted by Business Broadcaster Steph McGovern. The line-up will include Gavin Partington, Director General of the British Soft Drinks Association and Ian Twinn, Director of Public Affairs at the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers.
At 2.30pm the Great Food Waste Debate will kick off with a star-studded panel of industry experts set to share their views. Richard Fox, ambassador for Love Food Hate Waste, will ask a panel whether sustainability can drive greater profit for businesses along with value for shareholders in what is sure to be a lively discussion. The panel will include top speakers such as chef Arthur Potts Dawson; TV chef Simon Rimmer; Hannah Gallimore, Corporate Responsibility Manager, Central England Co-operative; Paul Crewe, Head of Sustainability at Sainsbury’s; and Richard Swannell, UK Director at WRAP.
On Wednesday the show will cover the future of foodservice at 11.30am. Hosted by Simon Stenning, Executive Director of MCA Foodservice, the session will focus on how best to enter the channel and understand the variables that impact upon success.
The Grocer Talking Shop Live will wrap up on Wednesday with a Meet the Dragons session at 2.30pm. This will see brave entrepreneurs putting forward their best innovations for potential funding to an expert panel with a winner revealed live at show. With all these sessions and more, The Grocer Talking Shop Live at Food & Drink Expo 2016 is set to be unmissable for those in the sector.
Dan Dixon, Event Director, said: “The Grocer Talking Shop Live is packed with insights and inspiration from a raft of experts in the industry and we are expecting some fantastic live debates. There is something of value to be taken away by everyone, whether you are interested in the grocery, wholesale, speciality retail, manufacturing or foodservice sectors.”
To register for free, receiving entry to all co-located shows, visit: www.foodanddrinkexpo.co.uk
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