As April drew to a close, the UK Food & Drink Shows, comprising National Convenience Show, Farm Shop & Deli Show, Food & Drink Expo and Foodex Manufacturing Solutions returned to the NEC, Birmingham. As the leading integrated foodservice and retail PR & marketing agency, jellybean was in attendance, not only to see the latest product innovations and hear from the luminaries lined up to speak at the shows’ stellar seminar programme, but also in a professional capacity, supporting the brilliant William Reed events team with the show press office.

In total, the three-day event saw a show floor of over 1,500 suppliers and thousands more visitors. Quality stands and stages meant insight, inspiration and innovation at every turn and resulted in fantastic high-quality visitors, drawn to the UK Food & Drink Shows for their outstanding reputation for bringing together the best of the hospitality, manufacturing, grocery, speciality & convenience retail sectors.

The shows also featured a raft or competitions and awards, including Farm Shop & Deli Show’s nerve-shredding Dragons’ Pantry where entrepreneurs had 15 minutes to pitch their brand to impress the panel. On day three of the show, Revibed, a range of zero-sugar drinks aimed at improving hydration, was named the overall winner. The Farm Shop & Deli Product and Retailer Awards also reached their culmination, with 13 exhibitors in the chilled and frozen category receiving Golds and Cunninghams Butchers, Food Hall & Steakhouse named overall Retailer of the Year (if you’re ever in Co. Down, give them a visit)!

Insightful discussions took place on the various stages featuring leading lights from across the industry. The speakers shared their expertise and advice on a plethora of topics, from the cost-of-living crisis and its colossal impact, to the potential pitfalls of a world increasingly influenced by AI. Among the major players who took to the floor were Will Shu, CEO & Founder of Deliveroo, Tom Athron, CEO of Fortnum & Mason, Karen Betts OBE, CEO of the Food & Drink Federation, Professor Robin May, Chief Scientific Adviser, Food Standards Agency and Indy Kaur, Consultant & Founder of Plant-Based Futures.

The shows and their exhibitors and visitors were an incredible showcase of just how resilient, flexible and innovative our industry can be – forever evolving to adapt to the challenges thrown at it and nurtured by the passion and the people who work in it.

The UK Food & Drink Shows return to the NEC from 29th April – 1st May 2024. Find out more: www.foodanddrinkexpo.co.uk