Food & Drink Expo returns to the NEC, Birmingham from 24-26 April, as part of the UK Food & Drink Shows.
Visitors to the UK’s premier trade event for the food, drink and hospitality sector, will leave with heightened awareness of the sector’s multiple capabilities as well the latest innovations. Register for a free pass here.
A jam-packed show floor will be showcasing the latest products and services in the market. Expect big-name exhibitors such as Belvoir Fruit Farms (Stand K278), Jersey Dairy (Stand K260), Mizkan (Stand J240), Meadow Vale Foods (Stand J231), and Grumpy Mule Coffee (Stand K268), who will all be showcasing their wares. Also exhibiting are Blendsmiths Drinkmakers (Stand P261), passionate beverage innovators, whose products put a modern twist on ancient drinks; Doughlicious – The London Dough Company (Stand K221) who specialise in ready to bake and ready to eat dough products; and Gushen (Stand K223) the biggest NON-GMO soy proteins manufacturer in the world. Click here for the full list of exhibitors and products on show.
In a first for Food & Drink Expo, the show will also include two exclusive sections in 2023, Healthy & Natural and Plant-Based, which will each be dedicated to exhibitors showing the latest innovations and NPD in these flourishing markets.
Meanwhile, on The Grocer Live stage, expert panels will be discussing some of the biggest issues facing the sector. Industry heavyweights such as Kate Nicholls OBE, Chief Executive at UKHospitality, Will Shu, CEO & Founder of Deliveroo and Tom Athron, CEO at Fortnum & Mason are just some of the names that have been lined up to tackle hot-topic issues. The programme is set to cover a variety of essential themes across the three days, such as people, sustainability, trends, health and technology, with individual sessions promising to drill down further on various aspects of each. Key highlights of the programme’s schedule include:
The cost-of-living crisis: How has UK food and drink adapted and what is the outlook?
Rising energy bills, staffing shortages and record inflation are three of the challenges the UK food and drink industry continues to face. In this session, we are joined by the leading trade organisations to analyse the support available to businesses.
(1:20pm, Monday 24th April)
Low2No in retail: The challenges and opportunities
The Low2No alcohol category continues to grow, with supermarkets dedicating more and more space to the category. In terms of growth in retail, what's next for the category? How can manufacturers further grow within the major supermarkets and what opportunities are there in smaller format retail?
(3:45pm, Monday 24th April)
Can TikTok shopping change the game for UK food and drink manufacturers?
In August 2022, TikTok announced it would include fresh and frozen food in the TikTok Shop for the first time. This marked an expansion beyond the ambient food and drink businesses already available on the platform. How important is social media selling to growth for food and drink brands? Join this session as TikTok explore this further alongside examples of businesses that are reaping the rewards already.
(1:45pm, Tuesday 25th April)
Tackling food waste with FareShare
Food waste remains a huge challenge, but one that needs to be tackled. We are delighted to have partnered with FareShare to mitigate food waste at the UK Food & Drink Shows. Join this session to understand more about the work FareShare do and how you can partner with them to mitigate food waste, improve your sustainability credentials and support those in need.
(1:45pm, Wednesday 26th April)
See the full line-up of sessions and speakers here
Andrew Reed, Managing Director – Wine & Exhibitions, William Reed says “Food & Drink Expo is a must-visit event for anyone looking to invest, improve or advance their hospitality business in 2023 and beyond. With over 150 exhibitors expected and a fantastic programme of speakers lined up to address the industry’s biggest questions, it’s sure to be one of the most worthwhile days out in your diary. Register for your free pass today.
Encompassing the entire industry, the UK Food & Drink Shows are unrivalled in their ability to bring people together, build and foster better relationships, discover business building insight and celebrate innovation, all with the support of the multi-award-winning William Reed brand. Find out what’s on at the other shows here.
