IFE, International Food & Drink Event, the UK’s ultimate business event for food & drink product discovery, returns to ExCeL London on 25-27 March 2024 to showcase the latest innovations in the sector and empower buyers to elevate their offerings.
For more than 40 years, IFE has been a must-attend event for retailers, wholesalers and hospitality professionals to learn about the latest trends and innovations in the food & drink sector and meet with thousands of suppliers from across the UK and around the world.
In addition to quality brands from across the UK and Ireland, IFE 2024 will showcase suppliers from countries including the United States, Ukraine, Thailand, Turkey, Italy, India, Belgium, Sri Lanka and many more.
“I look forward to attending IFE each year as it always provides great insight on up-and-coming trends, a host of new and new-to-me suppliers, ample networking opportunities, and an array of sessions to attend on a variety of industry-wide topics,” said Lauren Weatherby, Senior Category Manager Northern Europe – F&B, Accor Group. “I always come away from the show having learned something, as well as with new leads and opportunities to bring back to my business.”
With 15 diverse show sections, representing everything from grocery & wholesale to speciality food, vegan & plant-based to chilled & frozen, buyers can quickly and easily explore specific product categories and meet with brands ready to partner with their business and supply new and exciting products for their customers.
Returning for next year’s event is the ever-popular Startup Market, packed with exciting new food & drink brands and representing an opportunity for buyers to sample completely new products set to line the supermarket shelves of tomorrow, select businesses will also be taking to the stage in the New Products Tasting Theatre to pitch their products and provide samples to visitors.
New for the 2024 event is the Fresh Produce Section, launched in partnership with the Fresh Produce Consortium to foreground quality fresh produce and connect retail, wholesale and hospitality professionals with a diverse range of suppliers.
“This new section aligns perfectly with our commitment to providing a comprehensive platform for the food and drink industry,” Federico Dellafiore, Event Manager for IFE, commented. “With the FPC’s expertise in fresh produce, we are confident that this new section will be a major draw for both exhibitors and attendees.”
On the Future Food Stage, industry thought leaders, retail innovators, leading wholesalers and insight specialists will be exploring a wide range of topics relating to the F&B and retail trends of tomorrow. The Future Food stage is a must attend for anyone looking for invaluable insights and actionable takeaways to elevate their offering to clients and consumers.
Returning for IFE 2024, international buyers will have the opportunity to efficiently source export-ready food & drink brands in the Exporters Hub, which will also host talks and presentations covering the latest developments in UK export from organisations including the Food & Drink Exporters Association (FDEA).
IFE takes place alongside IFE Manufacturing, the ultimate business event for food & drink product development, where food & drink brands, retailers, NPD innovators and more can meet directly with suppliers representing everything from packaging to ingredients to food safety.
Visitors to IFE Manufacturing can benefit from a wide range of insightful panel discussions, talks and presentations from NPD and food production professionals on the Trends & Innovation Platform and learn more about industry accreditations in the Certification Clinic.
IFE and IFE Manufacturing take place alongside HRC, Hotel, Restaurant & Catering, The Pub Show and historic chef competition International Salon Culinaire, collectively the UK’s most significant gathering of the food, drink and hospitality sector.
To find out more about IFE, taking place on 25-27 March 2024 at ExCeL London, visit ife.co.uk.
