Why New Show Lunch! Is A Must-visit

Taking place on 26th and 27th September at the fashionable Old Billingsgate Market in London, lunch! is aimed at the owners and managers of quality sandwich bars, juice bars, cafés, coffee bars and contract caterers. With over 30,000 “food to go” establishments in the UK, lunch! will offer a definitive, one-stop event for the industry.

Simon Hargraves, commercial director of Pret A Manger, says, “This is such an exciting opportunity and will truly carry the ‘wow’ factor. It’s impossible not to love Billingsgate, it’s a great space, ideal for an innovative, exciting event like lunch!”

Lunch! has been designed to help key buyers from the independent, multiple and contract catering sectors stay ahead of the competition. Developed in close consultation with leading industry names, ranging from the biggest high street retailers to the most innovative independents, as well as suppliers of some of the best-selling products available in the market, lunch! aims to reflect all that is great about today’s exciting and growing quality “food to go” sector. With a focus on innovation, taste and differentiation, over 100 carefully-selected exhibitors will showcase the whole spectrum of innovative products involved in the quality “food to go” market - from food, drink and ingredients, to equipment, furniture, packaging and all additional products integral to running a successful business. John Clifton, event manager of lunch!, says, “We have had a phenomenal response to the launch of lunch! It’s quite clear that there has been a large gap in the market for a focussed show, which perfectly captures what’s happening in this dynamic sector.”

Confirmed exhibitors include Ethical Addictions Coffee, L’Aquila, Icelandic Water, Walkers, The Handmade Cake Company, Usmoothie, The London Tea Company, PepsiCo, Innocent, Greenwich Cakes, Aconbury Sprouts, Leathams, Owlet Apple Juices, Doves Farm Foods, Firefly Tonics, Bel UK, Urban Fresh Fruits, Jeremy’s Soups, Real Crisps, Fresh! Naturally Organic, Kshocolat, Fairfields Farm Crisps and Mangajo.

From the stunning venue, and the timing, right through to the extensive consultation process, the show’s organiser, Diversified Business Communications UK, has left nothing to chance. Even the open days of Friday and Saturday are unique and the result of feedback from industry buyers; whilst the opening hours on the Friday have also been extended until 8pm to enable busy independents from throughout the country to attend the show after their lunch-time trade.

“We have worked hard with the industry to develop a show concept that meets the £3 billion quality food-to-go market and have been thrilled with the response. Registrations are already exceeding our most optimistic expectations, with buyers confirmed to attend from all sectors of the industry, from independents to big name multiples like Pret, Marks & Spencer, Compass Group and O’Briens,” says Carsten Holm, MD of Diversified.

For further information, entry forms, or to register for your FREE trade ticket to lunch!, please visit www.lunchshow.co.uk.