- IFE, International Food & Drink Event, returns to ExCeL London on 20th-22nd March. Here are just three reasons why food and drink professionals should make it a must-attend
IFE
Held in the city of innovation, London, IFE (International Food & Drink Event), brings together an immersive and interactive event at ExCeL London. Over the three days, IFE will welcome 25,000 key industry professionals to come and sample the latest products, develop their knowledge on the trends affecting the food and drink sector and network face-to-face with suppliers.
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New for 2023 is the Sustainability Stage, sponsored by Elopak, where industry leaders and sustainability experts will be taking deep dives into a wide range of topics within ESG, including a full day of content curated by the Food & Drink Federation.
Nicholas Bevan, European communications and sustainability manager at Baker & Baker and panellist on the session ‘Achieving net zero: How can we drive progress in decarbonising food systems?’, commented, “For us, sustainability is a core consideration throughout our bakery operations and within our corporate strategy.
“The opportunity to speak at IFE 2023 alongside like-minded sustainability professionals provides a forum for us to discuss our sustainability goals and focuses and highlight the key challenges facing the food and drink sector.”
On the Trends & Innovation Platform, visitors will have the opportunity to look at emerging food technologies from Charles Banks of thefoodpeople, an investigation into consumer interest in active nutrition by FMCG Gurus, an examination of innovation in the frozen food sector from IGD and the British Frozen Food Federation, and a whole lot more.
Streamlined product sourcing
At a time when retailers, wholesalers and hospitality professionals are increasingly time-poor, IFE presents an opportunity to meet directly with a diverse range of brand owners from the UK and around the world, plus a chance to sample thousands of products all in just a few days out of the office.
New features such as the Startup Market and the New Products Tasting Theatre will make it easier than ever for visitors to IFE to discover exciting new products, brands and flavour profiles and get right to the heart of innovation in the world of food and drink.
Network with leading retailers
IFE, along with its sister events, is set to welcome more than 25,000 visitors to ExCeL London in March, from speciality delis to leading national food and drink retailers.
Freya O’Mara, buying manager for cheese at Ocado, commented, “We are looking to come to IFE as an Ocado Dairy and Bakery team. It’s really important for us to make sure we are at the forefront of product trends and innovation and attending IFE will enable us to network, see new products and people and get excited about future innovation.”
Matt Buckingham, confectionery buyer at Marks & Spencer, added, “I am planning to attend IFE this year as it gives buyers a unique opportunity to meet suppliers from all over the world and see (and taste!) fantastic innovation in the flesh.”
IFE takes place alongside IFE Manufacturing, Hotel, Restaurant & Catering and International Salon Culinaire, bringing together the who’s who of the UK’s diverse and innovative food and drink sector.
Over 90 countries will be represented at the trade event, with pavilions from countries including Brazil, Romania, Canada, Australia and many more showcasing hundreds of innovative international products.
To find out more about everything happening at this year’s event, and to register for your complimentary trade ticket, click here.
