Tipped as one of the top food trends for 2018, speciality food has seen a continued growth in popularity throughout the UK. As consumers become more conscious of the origin of their food, demand for locally sourced and farmed produce continues to increase, with Datamonitor predicting sales will surge from £3.6bn to £4.2bn by 2021. Restaurant owners and operators looking to stay ahead of this curve will benefit from the 2018 edition of the Farm Shop & Deli Show – the perfect opportunity to see some of the sector’s most exciting food and drink products.
The NEC will see the show’s return from 16-18 April, attracting buyers from across the spectrum of food service and speciality retail. The popularity of the show underscores the importance of innovative and unique products to restaurant owners and operators, offering buyers a valuable chance to find inspiration and ideas.
With new restaurant openings peaking in 2017, according to the Local Data Company[1], it is more important than ever for restaurants to find quality products to attract customers. One example among the ranks of the Farm Shop & Deli Show exhibitors is Woodall’s Charcuterie, a family-run business that has been innovating using traditional and curing smoking methods to produce delicious British charcuterie for eight generations.
Similarly, the rising popularity of vegan diets has seen restaurateurs become increasingly conscious of their vegan and vegetarian offer. Real Good Food Company, an exciting new range from Bon Bon’s, will exhibit at the Farm Shop & Deli Show, bringing products including nuts, seeds, grains and sweet treats.
The Office for National Statistics reported that 2016 saw 11% of all family business revenue come from restaurants. The popular Farm Shop & Deli Live stage in 2018 will include the Tang family, who have together turned their talents for baking into an award-winning national business. They will take to the stage to explain how to create and market a successful brand whilst navigating the intricacies of working together, to the keen ears of listeners looking to discover how to turn a passion into profit. The stage will offer much more in the way of business advice and inspiration across the three-day show.
Meanwhile, Food & Drink Expo, running concurrently with the Farm Shop & Deli Show, will see over 600 exhibitors from across the industry share the latest ideas and innovations. The show will feature its own stage, allowing visitors to attend a series of live seminars examining the trends that we can expect to see rise to prominence over the coming year. These include a panel debate asking: what’s so super about ‘super-foods’? Hosted by Emily Foster from Glowing Potential, this lively discussion will join industry experts from all sides to weigh in on whether super-foods are genuine health-helpers or merely marketing hype.
Farm Shop & Deli Show and Food & Drink Expo are co-located with the National Convenience Show and Foodex, as well as the new The Ingredients Show. Together they will bring together suppliers from across the whole food and drink industry, from retailers to manufacturers.
To find out more and register for free, receiving entry to all co-located shows, visit:
www.farmshopanddelishow.co.uk or www.foodanddrinkexpo.co.uk.
[1] https://www.bighospitality.co.uk/Article/2017/09/28/UK-restaurant-openings-reach-new-peak
