Catch up with the food, drink and hospitality sector

IFE International Food & Drink Event, IFE Manufacturing and Hotel, Restaurant & Catering (HRC) return to ExCeL London on 20-22 March 2023, collectively one of the most comprehensive gatherings of the UK food and drink sector.

Inspiring Industry Insights

It is anticipated that over 25,000 industry professionals will descend on the shows to meet with more 1,500 quality suppliers across food and drink, professional kitchen equipment, hospitality tech, design and décor and more.

The Vision Stage, designed by Harp Design, will be at the heart of HRC 2023 with a programme covering a diverse range of important trends, topics and talking points in foodservice and hospitality.

Kicking off day one of the show will be a global view of hospitality from UKHospitality CEO, Kate Nicholls, followed by a session from Nicola Knight and James Walton of IGD, who will be running through their predictions for 2023 and examining the impact of global events on the UK hospitality industry.

Visitors can also catch an insightful debate on setting the standard for food for the future, moderated by the Sustainable Restaurant Association and featuring Clare Clark (head of sustainability at CH&CO), James

Golding (group chef director at The Pig Hotels) and Huw Gott (co-founder of Hawksmoor).

Other highlights to look out for at the Vision Stage will include a keynote interview with HRC chef ambassador Monica Galetti, an examination of driving profit through low and no alcohol offerings, a discussion on the psychology of hospitality design, and an in-depth look at the impact of soaring energy costs on the sector with Cornwall Insight.

At IFE, food and drink companies will also be able hear from trade and customs experts about the implications of the UK’s new approach to implementing post-Brexit border controls. The Institute of Export & International Trade (IOE&IT) will be presenting seminars across all three days of the show.

One of the seminars is a landmark session on how the government’s new ‘Target Operating Model’ will impact post-Brexit processes for importing goods into Britain from the EU.

IOE&IT is also exhibiting at the show and powering its Exporters Hub, sponsored by K International. Delegates are invited to meet the IOE&IT team at stand 3534 to hear how the organisation is supporting traders adapt to new post-Brexit rules and processes through training, qualifications and its wide range of membership benefits.

Sustainability In Focus

This year IFE will see the addition of a dedicated Sustainability Stage, sponsored by Elopak, and reflecting the importance and complexity of ESG (Environmental Social Governance) as a topic within food and drink.

Across the three days of the show, including a day of content curated by the Food & Drink Federation (FDF), leading industry experts and speakers will delve deep into a range of topics within sustainability, from decarbonising food systems to creating a circular economy for food & drink packaging to the evolution of sustainability in the world of frozen food.

FDF head of climate change & energy policy, Emma Piercy, comments: “The FDF is delighted to be partnering with IFE for the inaugural Sustainability Stage at this world class event.

“Global food systems make up around one quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Bringing all stakeholders together and collaborating at IFE is essential to building the resilient and sustainable food systems we need.”

IFE Manufacturing’s Trends & Innovation Platform will be a focal point for industry insights and inspiring trends this year, with Kantar, thefoodpeople, FMCG Gurus, IGD, The Food Marketing Experts, Stylus and more discussing a wide range of topics including the price sensitivity of customers, the rise of the discounters, emerging food technologies and key flavour trends and innovations.

A must attend session on the Trends & Innovation Platform will centre around how manufacturers, brands and hospitality businesses can responsibly manage allergens, with speakers from the Free From Awards, Creative Nature, Pret a Manger and Virgin Atlantic.

Bertrand Emond, membership ambassador & culture excellence lead at Campden BRI, and moderator of the panel, comments:

“I’m looking forward to leading the discussion on allergens at IFE Manufacturing 2023. This is a complex topic and it’s hugely important that food and drink brands and foodservice businesses ensure they are meeting legal standards and following best practices when it comes to managing allergens responsibly and accurately conveying information around allergens to consumers.”

CHEF HQ, CURATED BY CHEF PUBLISHING

A new addition to HRC 2023 is Chef HQ - a demo kitchen, stage and networking area curated by Chef Publishing and providing a platform for talented chefs from across the UK.

Sessions at Chef HQ include an interview with The Future Plate, a culinary village made up of leading black chefs including MasterChef semi-finalist William Chilila, Muse by Tom Aikens head pastry chef Jermaine Cunningham and Michelle Trusselle, executive chef and owner of Myristica.

Paul Ainsworth will be at Chef HQ discussing his experience as a judge on the hit show Next Level Chef, Restaurant Story Executive Chef Tom Phillips and Bocuse d’Or Chairman Andreas Antona will be talking about the UK Bocuse d’Or competition, and Andrew Wong, chef founder of A.Wong, will be taking the audience on a journey into the technically precise art of dim sum.

Chef HQ will also welcome 2022 National Chef of the Year Ben Murphy, head chef at Launceston Place, to the stage to discuss his career to date and his culinary inspirations.

Quality Suppliers

From packaging to food and drink to professional kitchen equipment, the shows will be packed with suppliers ready to transform the food to go businesses.

New for 2023 will be the IFE Startup Market where visitors will be able to discover some of the latest products and brands in an area dedicated to some of the most innovative and vibrant startups that have been trading for two years or less.

Action Foods Ltd (Stand 5972) offer a range of cooked chicken and bacon products and will be introducing a new range of British produced pizza toppings under their new brand, Championi Toppings.

Capreolus (Stand 3359), a family-owned charcuterie producer in West Dorset run by Karen and David Richards, follow time honoured techniques using freerange or wild meat to produce a wide range of charcuterie, and will be at the show. Their recipes have been developed by David and Karen with inspiration from traditional continental products but with their own West Country twist.

Cargill Protein Europe (Stand 5951c), a leading supplier and innovator of chicken and alternative protein products for retail, food service and food manufacturing customers, will be in attendance.

The FoodFellas (Stand 1551), a CPF group company, supplies innovative, authentic, high quality food products from around the world to the foodservice market in the UK and across Europe, and will be at the show. Their Meat Zero plant-based range offers product for anyone who loves the taste of meat but wants to minimise the environmental impact of the meat they consume, say the firm.

Moy Park (Stand 2165), one of the UK’s top 15 food companies, Northern Ireland’s largest private sector business and one of Europe’s leading poultry producers will be present, and is now a £1.8 billion business employing 10,000 colleagues across facilities in the UK, Holland and France, supplying Moy Park branded and own label chicken products to leading retailers and foodservice providers throughout the UK, Ireland and Europe.

Based a stone’s throw away from the old fish docks in Hull, East Yorkshire, Seafish UK (Stand 5951k) are a second-generation family firm, proudly developing, producing, marketing and exporting seafood products with an emphasis on high quality and affordability for over 100 years, and will be at IFE.

At The Grumpy Pigs (Stand 5932), it’s all about the bacon, say the company, who will be attending the show. Since 2015, they have been supplying cooked bacon to food service and manufacturing all over the UK & Ireland, their products being produced in a BRC-accredited gluten-free factory.

At The Sausage Man (Stand 5511), visitors will be able to try some authentic German sausage such Bratwursts and Franks. Chilled and frozen meat supplier, Volys (Stand 5563f), will also be present.

Mediterranean food supplier Dina Foods (Stand 4218) will showcase its range of authentic breads, savouries and confectionery at IFE, including its traditional artisanal flatbreads, ranging from Pitta to its signature Paninette® wraps and Lavash bread. New additions this year are the Tanour bread and Oregano and Sourdough flavoured Paninette® wraps. Its vegan savouries, including a wide range of Falafel, such as the popular sweet potato version, and hummus and dips, will be on display. Dina will also bring its premium layered Filo pastry Baklawa which are in high demand, they report.

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