HRC, (Hotel, Restaurant & Catering) was back at ExCel for 2024 as part of Food, Drink and Hospitality Week which also hosts IFE Manufactoring, IFE, The Pub Show and International Salon Culinaire. And as the leading food and drink agency we were there in force, exploring the exhibition hall and supporting our wonderful clients.

Playing host to 1,500 suppliers and welcoming over 27,000 people through the doors across 3 days (25th – 27th March), including Prue Leith, Michel Roux Jr, Cyrus Todiwala, Cherish Finden and Lisa Goodwin-Allen, it’s a key event in the foodservice calendar.

With suppliers showcasing their ranges, including dessert innovations, breakfast solutions, on-the-go offerings and inventive libations, there was something for everyone. The show saw a wide range of international cuisines showcased with businesses from Turkey to Japan, Korea to Jeruselum, all highlighting how they can help operators elevate their menu. And while we tried our best to sample each of the glorious products on offer, we learnt our eyes were far bigger than our stomachs.

Amongst the excitement, were the World Food Innovation Awards which saw our client Aviko place as a finalist in the Best Chilled/Frozen Product category with the recent relaunch of their Hash Brown Bites (think American Tater Tots but better). Visitors also had the opportunity to taste the much-missed product at their stand, along with tray after tray of Loaded Fries, new Grip & Dips and new Camembert Bites – making quite the impression after a 10-year HRC hiatus.

We were also keen to witness the skills of budding chefs and seasoned professionals through the International Salon Culinaire. Across Monday-Wednesday, the stage was a-buzz with a vast variety of competitions, ranging from Knife Skills and Plaice Filleting, to the more niche Avocado Starters and Roll Shaping. Of course, we had a front row seat for the cocktail making which saw students from Brockenhurst College and Eastleigh College take gold – sadly samples weren’t handed out upon completion.

But that’s not all, we were delighted to visit the FPA Manufacturer of the Year – Wrapmaster (our favourite supplier of food wrap – and longstanding jellybean client!). On-stand they were showcasing their multi award-winning ultimate chef wrap system which makes reducing waste and saving money a breeze for chefs around the world. The kitchen essential was loaded with their all-new Wrapmaster® Compostable Cling Film and Wrapmaster® PE Recyclable Cling Film to try out too.

If you want to join us on our HRC venture, head over to @jellybeanagency on Instagram to live a day in our life!