Speciality & Fine Food Fair is preparing for a major new chapter. From 2027, the long-running trade event will take place alongside Food, Drink & Hospitality Week at Excel London, running 5–7 April and bringing the speciality food and drink sector closer to the wider hospitality and retail industry.
As part of the transition, the Fair will pause for a year and will not run in 2026, meaning its 2025 edition will be the last to take place at Olympia London.
For more than 25 years, Speciality & Fine Food Fair has provided a meeting place for producers and buyers to discover standout products, share stories and build long-term business relationships. Its move into Food, Drink & Hospitality Week will see the event sit alongside IFE and sister shows that collectively attract more than 25,000 trade visitors over three days.
Organisers say the new setting will boost visibility and commercial opportunities for exhibitors, while retaining the distinctive feel the Fair has built over the past two decades. Speciality producers will continue to present premium food and drink within a curated environment that celebrates craftsmanship, innovation and storytelling, but with access to a significantly broader audience of retail and hospitality buyers.
The change also shifts the event to earlier in the year, bringing it more in line with key industry buying cycles, budget planning and menu development.
“Diverse Fine Food is delighted to support the new and improved Speciality & Fine Food Fair,” Mark Wiltshire, Co-Founder & Director of Diverse Fine Food, said. “We truly appreciated being part of the discussions about the future of the show, and we’re delighted with the plans taking shape. The refreshed direction brings real momentum to the sector, and we’re proud to support an event that consistently celebrates the best in food and drink.”
“Speciality & Fine Food Fair has always been about bringing the industry together to celebrate exceptional producers and help them build meaningful relationships with buyers,” added Nicola Woods, Event Manager for Speciality & Fine Food Fair. “By joining Food, Drink & Hospitality Week and sitting alongside IFE, we’re creating even more opportunities for those connections to happen.
“This move allows us to preserve everything our community values about the Fair – its curated feel, its focus on discovery and its support for emerging brands – while giving our exhibitors access to a significantly larger and more diverse audience of buyers.”
Supporting emerging brands will remain a key focus. The show’s Start-Up Village will continue as a central feature, giving new producers a platform to showcase their products, tell their stories and connect with buyers searching for the next wave of speciality food and drink.
Organisers also plan to expand several of the show’s networking initiatives. Programmes including Meet the Buyer and Pitch Live, run in partnership with IND!E, will offer more curated opportunities for producers to meet decision-makers and secure new listings or partnerships.
As Matt Hopkins, Co-Founder at IND!E, said “Speciality & Fine Food Fair has always been one of the most important discovery destinations for emerging food and drink brands and the buyers looking to find them. IND!E has been attending and supporting the show for many years, so we’re incredibly proud to be a key partner as it moves into its next chapter.
“The move to new dates and a new venue is an exciting step that will allow the event to grow while preserving the unique atmosphere that makes it so special. We’re looking forward to being there in April 2027, bigger and better than ever, championing the next generation of challenger brands.”
The Fair will also continue its long-standing collaboration with industry organisations including the Guild of Fine Food. While the venue and timing may be changing, organisers say the Fair’s core identity will remain the same. Independent producers and retailers will continue to sit at the heart of the event, with product discovery and face-to-face connections central to the experience. From 2027, Speciality & Fine Food Fair will continue to combine its established community spirit with the scale and commercial reach of the UK’s largest gathering for food, drink and hospitality professionals.
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