Whether you’re looking to expand your understanding of food production, uncover key market trends, find out what the experts have to say about regulatory changes, meet potential suppliers or just get your product tried and tasted, food events are great. Industry events provide inspiration, information and a great opportunity to network. Here are some of our favourites coming up in 2017.
Harlech Food Service Expo
Foodservice Expo 2017 is set to feature over 150 local and international exhibitors, including artisan producers and big names brands, all showcasing their new products, creative menu planning and offering product tasting.
When: 28th February – 1st March, Venue Cymru, Llandudno, Wales
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Food Vision 2017
A 3-day food event, Food Vision is aimed at those developing food and drink products or nutritional food products and supplements. It’s designed to facilitate industry insight, commercial opportunities and business relationships with panel discussions, talks and Q&As. The event also provides a platform to grow your business with a fun challenge for start-ups and networking.
1st – 3rd March, 8 Northumberland Avenue, London, UK
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IFE
As the UK’s biggest food and drink trade show, the IFE 2017 is a must-see event attracting buyers from the biggest brands including Aldi, Harrods and the NHS. It offers attendees an opportunity to check out the latest trends, network and source “pioneering” food and drink for their business. It covers everything in nine sections: bakery, dairy, drinks, British and Irish food, grocery, health and wellbeing, ingredients, meat and seafood and snacks and confectionery.
19th – 22nd March, ExCeL, London, UK
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Future Proteins Summit 2017
The first-ever Future Proteins Summit will host 26 international speakers from companies such as The Carbon Trust, Nuritas and TNO. The aim is to bring together food industry members, expert speakers and peers to “share critical lessons & cross-fertilise ideas – all with the aim of assessing and unlocking the potential of the future protein market”.
30th March, The Crystal, London UK
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Natural & Organic Products Europe
Europe’s biggest trade show for natural products features buyers of natural healthcare products, natural and organic foods, natural personal care and eco-household products. This year it’s expected to host buyers from 76 countries, seminars, new products, 722 exhibitors and over 10,000 decision makers interested in purchasing natural and organic products including: Holland and Barratt, Amazon, Harvey Nicholls and Planet Organic.
2nd – 3rd April, ExCeL, London, UK
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IFST Spring Conference
The Institute of Food Science & Technology Spring Conference explores, unsurprisingly, advances in food science and technology. The day-long event comprises of a number of sessions and panel discussions including a look at customer behaviour, product design, innovation and food processing.
7th April, King’s College, The Strand, London, UK
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Food Fraud
New Food magazine’s one day conference aims to address issues of food fraud (mislabelling, tampered products, substitutions). Industry professionals, including heads of quality assurance from food manufacturers around the world, will share best practice in preventing food fraud and assess cutting-edge testing technology.
The conference will combine a series of sessions including case studies, panel discussions, spotlight focuses and presentations. Speakers include the National Food Crime Unit and Food Standards Agency.
3rd May, The Renaissance Manchester City Centre Hotel, Manchester, UK
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Vitafoods Europe
For functional ingredients, Vitafoods Europe is a key annual event seeing the entire nutraceutical supply chain doing business – that’s over 18,000 decision-makers globally. The 3-day show covers four key industry areas: Ingredients and Raw Materials, Contract Manufacturing and Private Label, Services and Equipment and Branded Finished Products. In addition, there are R&D forums, business workshops and a full-day probiotics summit.
9-11th May, Palexpo, Geneva, Switzerland
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PLMA’s World of Private Label – International Trade Show
Another regular for us, the PLMA show features over 4,000 exhibit stands, including nearly 60 national and regional pavilions. Products on display are set to include fresh, frozen and refrigerated foods, dry grocery, and beverages as well as non-food categories, including health and beauty, household, car and garden.
16-17th May, RAI Exhibition Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Commercial Kitchen
The UK’s only show dedicated to catering equipment and running effective, profitable kitchens. It’s aimed at decision-makers from chain and independent pubs and restaurants, food-to-go multiples, hotels, schools, hospitals and care homes. Check out the latest equipment and innovations. Interesting line-up of seminars too with the accent on productivity, efficiency and sustainability as well as quality and taste.
6-7th June, NEC, Birmingham, UK
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Food Manufacture’s Food Safety Conference
The Food Safety Conference 2017 promises to arm delegates with the advice they need for the post-Brexit challenges of the next few years. The event will highlight what needs to be on manufacturers’ food safety radar and report on findings from a unique industry survey. The event information suggests that post-Brexit, food safety regulation will move towards a more risk-based approach to policing the sector. What does this mean for producers?
22nd June, Woodland Grange, Leamington Spa, UK
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Speciality & Fine Food Fair 2017
One of our favourite food events, this is the event for the fine food trade and is perfect for independent retailers, delicatessens, chefs, hoteliers, restauranteurs and importers, distributors and wholesalers. It offers a great opportunity to meet UK and international producers and suppliers, source new and innovative products from over 850 UK and international suppliers and learn from industry professionals in the live visitor attractions.
3rd-5th September, Olympia, London, UK
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lunch!
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, lunch! presents keynote sessions from leading industry figures, a plethora of products and networking opportunities, the new Start-Up Zone and the Innovation Challenge Live. We never miss this one and it’s ideal for smaller and start-up finished product companies – so if you’re a café, coffee shop, sandwich bar, contract caterer, wholesaler, multiple buyer or deli owner then you shouldn’t either.
21st – 22nd September, ExCeL, London, UK
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Food Manufacture Excellence Awards
The Food Manufacture Excellence Awards 2016 saw hundreds of industry professionals come together and, like many good awards ceremonies, presents the chance to raise your company profile and network in glamorous surroundings. Last year’s event took place in November at the London Hilton on Park Lane. Currently, it’s possible to register your interest.
November 2017 (TBC) London
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