Food and drink in the spotlight

IFE, International Food & Drink Event and Hotel, Restaurant & Catering (HRC) returned to ExCeL London on 20-22 March 2023, showcasing the latest innovations in the worlds of food, drink and hospitality.

Well Attended

Over 27,000 leading industry buyers from across retail and hospitality descended on the shows for three packed days of learning, networking and streamlined product sourcing.

New demo kitchen, stage and networking area Chef HQ, curated by Chef Publishing, proved to be a hit with visitors to the shows, playing host to presentations and demonstrations from top chefs from across the UK and Europe.

Next Level Chef UK judge Paul Ainsworth, chef patron at Number 6 in Padstow, was in conversation with the show winner Jade Greenhalgh, while National Chef of the Year, Ben Murphy, entered the kitchen to highlight some of his favourite culinary trends.

Niall Keating’s Paradise Carriage served as the area’s colourful demo kitchen, with Niall himself taking to the stage to discuss the evolution of the idea since the easing of Covid restrictions and his career to date as a top UK chef.

KEY INSIGHTS FOR FOOD, DRINK AND HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES

IFE’s Sustainability Stage, sponsored by Elopak, saw a day of content curated by the Food & Drink Federation, with FDF CEO, Karen Betts OBE, opening day two with a session on building resiliency into our food systems, followed by a discussion on decarbonising, led by FDF head of climate change & energy policy, Emma PIercy.

On the Trends & Innovation Platform, there was a wide range of sessions focusing on the latest innovations in food & drink, with presentations from the British Frozen Food Federation and IGD on 2023 frozen food trends, from thefoodpeople on emerging technologies, and Kantar examining the rise of the discount retailer.

Plus, the stage featured a discussion around managing allergens, featuring Bertrand Emond of Campden Bri, Nicki Clowes of the Free From Awards, Julianne Ponan MBE of Creative Nature, Anita Kinsey of Pret a Manger and Hari Ghotra of Virgin Atlantic.

Ghotra commented: “I’m here because I love experiencing all the food and innovation that’s around, from packaging to vegan o erings to all the lovely drinks. We’ve also been having a chat about allergens, exchanging views with amazing panellists highlighting some of the issues we face in the industry. A fabulous day; cannot wait for next year.”

HRC’s Vision Stage, designed by Harp Design, kicked o day one with an industry update from Kate Nicholls OBE, CEO of UKHospitality, followed by a Hospitality 2023 global view from IGD.

Nicola Knight, insight manager, food-to-go and eating out, at IGD, who presented the session, commented: “It is always a real delight to be invited to speak at HRC. The show has a real energy and buzz, and combined with IFE, is a must-attend event in the retail and foodservice calendar.”

Innovative Food To Go Suppliers

This year’s events connected key suppliers with leading buyers across retail and hospitality.

Exhibitor Stephanie McBean, business manager, The Original Patty Co., said: “IFE was an extreme success for us. We managed to connect with the two main buying teams of two major supermarkets which was our sole intention – on top of the added bonus of four other supermarkets. Brand awareness was excellent and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there!”

Visitors also had the opportunity to meet with suppliers like Better Nature (a producer of tempeh – a naturally delicious, traditional Indonesian food), Esti Foods (a producer combining pure Mediterranean ingredients and authentic recipes to create an exceptional tasting experience), and Phyco Health (Australian’s rst food-grade seaweed farm, with a range of muesli, seaweed snacks and tasty evening meals made with their 10% seaweed).

Retailer COOK Trading Ltd took its rst steps into the foodservice market at HRC 2023, with the launch of its smart, frozen, ready-meal vending machines.

Ben Scott, head of concession operations at COOK Trading Ltd., said: “I’ve been doing trade shows with various companies for the last 20 years and I’ve never had so much interest from so many senior individuals as we’ve had at HRC this year. It’s been like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. HRC has been buzzing and the key thing is that there were decision-makers there in person.”

NEXT YEAR…

IFE and HRC will return to ExCeL London alongside IFE Manufacturing, The Pub Show @ HRC and International Salon Culinaire on 25-27 March 2024. To nd out more, visit ife.co.uk or hrc.co.uk.