Focus On IFE: 18 March

Publishing: 18 March

Copy deadline: 24 February

Submissions deadline: 20 February

Contact: Alex Wright (apnwright@yahoo.co.uk)

Download full synopsis here. 

The Story

Between 19-22nd March hundreds of exhibitors will descend upon London’s Excel to showcase their goods at the International Food & Drink Event (IFE) 2017. As Brexit Britain draws nearer, what opportunities lie on our shores for foreign food & drink manufacturers? What other factors make the UK grocery market appealing? Which countries are exhibiting and with what products? And, what are the big trends set to be at this year’s show?

Countries: In 2015 exhibitors from 57 countries attended IFE. How has this changed in 2017? Which countries attending have the biggest contingents and why? What sort of products are they showcasing? How much progress have similar products and countries made in the UK so far?

Brexit: Is Britain more or less appealing to food & drink players from other countries since the Brexit vote? Why? Make sure to speak to home grown producers and brands as well to get their take on things.

Health & wellbeing: This is set to be another big trend at the exhibition as manufacturers and brands seek to make products healthier. What are the key trends here? Which ingredients are set to be the next big thing in health & wellbeing? What are manufacturers doing to reduce the amount of sugar in their products? Are we set to see a new wave of protein-enhanced products?

Innovations: What are the most innovative brands and products on display at the show? What makes them stand out? We will have a separate panel dedicated to these.

Great British & Irish Food: It’s not all about treats from exotic locations across the globe. This year’s IFE will dedicate a section to Great British & Irish Food. So, who’s exhibiting here? What sort of products are on display? How are they playing up their provenance? How will this change as the UK pulls away from the EU?

IFE – the vital statistics: Who, what, when, where and why for the exhibition. The feature will include details on everything visitors and exhibitors need to know about this year’s show, what’s new and what’s changed from previous events.