conversations with premium suppliers.” Justine Carruthers, Managing Director at Traybake (lunch! exhibitor) says: “Everyone is pleased to be here, and there have been significant buyers and senior people to speak to who know what they are looking for. lunch! is the show that helps us grow our business, our top customers have come from exhibiting here. Iain Phillips, Deputy Managing Director at Regale (Commercial Kitchen exhibitor) says: “The quality has been high at Commercial Kitchen. We’ve taken genuine enquiries and orders across a range of our products. It was great to engage with large accounts and it has allowed us to reconnect with customers. Possibly, the best show we have done!” Expert advice and inspiration The multiple Keynote Theatres were packed full of inspiring talks, interviews, and business advice from senior professionals in the business – including Roger Whiteside (CEO of Greggs), Neil Lake (MD of Costa), Alasdair Murdoch (CEO of Burger King). Hannah McKay (Head of Food & Beverage at Caffé Nero), Atul Kochhar (Chef Patron, Atul Kochhar Restaurants), Sat Bains (Chef Patron, Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms), Cyrus Todiwala OBE DL (Chef Patron, Café Spice Namasté and Mr Todiwala’s Kitchen), Jon Knight (Managing Director, Leisure & Concessions of The Restaurant Group); Mark Selby (Co-Founder and CEO of Wahaca); Anthony Pender (Co-Founder of The Yummy Pub Co); Susan Chappell (Divisional Director - City Division of Mitchells & Butlers); Steve Holmes (CEO of Azzurri Group), Martyn Clover (Head of Food at Tortilla), and many more. FutureFoodservice.com, Food Future Insights, IGD, UKHospitality, and CGA shared essential market updates and overviews, plus strategies needed to help the sector recover and build resilience after the pandemic and deliver a return to growth ahead of forecast. “I’ve been blown away by the diversity of suppliers here and the quality of what they are doing. If you are looking for certain suppliers that are doing something really niche, I guarantee that they’re going to be at lunch!,” says Alasdair Murdoch, CEO of Burger King. 51
Fastfood Professional • October and November 2021
October and November 2021 • Fastfood Professional
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