10 new products to see at this year’s UK Food & Drink Shows

Mexican sauces, kimchi shots and Neapolitan truffles are among the hundreds of new products that visitors will be able to see at the UK Food & Drink Shows in April.

Thirty thousand visitors and 1,500 exhibitors will come together at the NEC in Birmingham for the event. It brings together businesses from across grocery, hospitality, specialist retail and manufacturing to network, see the latest innovations and gain invaluable insights.

Here is our pick of products buyers will be able to see at the shows. 

Craq snack

Supplier: Craq

Stand: Farm Shop & Deli Show J179

Craq is shards of caramel coated in milk chocolate and sprinkled with salted pecans (rsp: £5.95/100g). It’s the creation of Michelle and Mark Lipman, who emigrated to the UK more than three years ago from South Africa, where they had a factory making a similar product.

“We are passionate about making a high-quality, artisanal candy with a focus on quality ingredients and traditional hand-made methods,” they explain.

“We use whole milk British butter, brown sugar and vanilla extract to make our crunchy caramel, which we top with a creamy, couverture Belgian milk chocolate, freshly chopped pecan nuts and a sprinkle of sea salt.”

Mole

Supplier: Chili Maven

Stand: Farm Shop & Deli Show Q187

Chili Maven launched as a supplier of salsa macha, a Mexican chilli oil. This year, it’s expanding its lineup with a range of mole, a traditional Mexican sauce. Sold in powder form to be mixed with water or broth to create a sauce, the mole is available in fruity, sweet and savoury Adobo; spicy and nutty Pipian Rojo; and rich and earthy Almendrado. Chili Maven is also expanding its salsa macha range with an extra hot version.

Sustainable tonics and mixers

Supplier: Foreva Farmers

Stand: Food & Drink Expo FF318

Herefordshire drinks brand Foreva Farmers will be showcasing new packaging for its range of sustainable tonics and mixers.

The family business makes its drinks with natural ingredients and produces them using renewable energy from its farm’s anaerobic digester.

Foreva Farmers is ramping up its sustainability credentials further this year, with the debut of a 200ml crown cap aluminium bottle that it describes as being “made using 100% renewable energy and infinitely recyclable”. The new packaging is set to roll out this summer as a single bottle and a four-pack.

Kimchi and kimchi shots

Supplier: Good Fermentation

Stand: Farm Shop & Deli Show D255

Good Fermentation is widening its range of fermented foods with three jarred products: Cornish Seaweed Kimchi, which it says pairs well with fish and salads, Orange/Cabbage Sauerkraut – a good accompaniment to barbecue food, and a Beetroot Kimchi that can be used as an ingredient in soups and sauces. The Surrey business is also launching a range of 60ml kimchi juice shots that are a byproduct of its kimchi.

Dosha drinks

Supplier: Dosha

Stand: Food & Drink Expo RR240

Wellness drink brand Dosha is inspired by ayurveda, an ancient Indian system of holistic medicine. Its range comprises three variants that use different botanicals and herbs: Raspberry & Mint to promote peace and calm; Mango & Coconut to enhance mental clarity and focus; and Lemon & Peach to support natural energy and gut health. With an rsp of £2.95, they are made in the UK, contain no added sugar, are vegan and have under 23 calories per 250ml can.

Somali Tease tea

Supplier: Tea Tease

Stand: Farm Shop & Deli Show D265

Inspired by his Greek Cypriot and British heritage, Michael Victoros launched Tea Tease to merge traditional teas with global influences. The business will be showcasing its latest blend, Somali Tease, at the Farm Shop & Deli Show. Sold in a pack of 40 biodegradable teabags, Somali Tease is described as robust black tea with cinnamon, clove, and cardamom, offering an aromatic, spiced flavour that sets it apart from typical black tea blends.

Joy spread

Supplier: Joy

Stand: Farm Shop & Deli Show G177

The founders of Joy also run an ice cream business. They’ve been inspired by ice cream to create a range of creamy spreads offering interesting flavours and textures. The spreads have been designed to be eaten as dessert or as accompaniments to other foods such as pancakes, waffles and porridge, says Joy. Variants include Crunchy Pistachio, Crunchy Hazelnut Chocolate With Crispy Wafers & Chopped Hazelnuts, and Crunchy Coconut With Crispy Wafers & Toasted Almond Pieces. They come in 330g glass jars for retail and in 1.3kg and 3kg tubs for commercial use.

Montezuma’s Neapolitan Ice Cream Truffles

Supplier: Great British Confectionery Group

Stand: Farm Shop & Deli Show Q198

Montezuma’s will have its Christmas range on show, including Advent calendars, truffles, snowmen and penguins, alongside its new Neapolitan truffles. Bristows, meanwhile, will be showcasing its own Christmas lines as well as a new £1 bagged sweet range including traditional bon bons and gummy mixes.

Honey & Anise Rum

Supplier: Revival Rum

Stand: Farm Shop & Deli Show D270

Founded in 2022, Revival Rum is based on a farm in Northamptonshire and follows traditional Jamaican rum processes wherever possible. The business launched its first unaged rum last year and has used this as the base for two spiced rums, a pimento based and honey & anise. The business is set to release its first aged rum later this year and will be offering tasters of the aged rum at the Farm Shop & Deli Show.

Chilli & Lime Peanuts

Supplier: Manilife

Stand: Farm Shop & Deli Show N278

Nut butter brand Manilife was founded by Stu Macdonald after he worked in Argentina for a peanut butter social enterprise and became aware of the farm his business still sources from today. Alongside products including its signature Original Roast spreads and bestselling Deep Roast smooth peanut butter, Manilife will be exhibiting the latest expansion of its flavoured peanuts range: Chilli & Lime.