IFE Manufacturing, IFE, The Pub Show, HRC and International Salon Culinaire have joined forces under a new over-arching brand – Food, Drink & Hospitality Week – marking a significant evolution in the collaboration and crossover between the popular event brands.  

Food, Drink & Hospitality Week will be a celebration of industry innovation, quality suppliers and valuable business conversations, with countless opportunities to network, explore and discover thousands of products and services.   

In addition to the core shows taking place on 25-27 March at ExCeL London, the Food, Drink & Hospitality Week brand will feature additional networking events, partnerships and conferences including the Campden BRI conference, the IFST (Institute of Food Science & Technology) conference and the Love Hospitality gala dinner organised by The Burnt Chef Project.  

Over 30,000 industry leaders will have the opportunity to network with peers in food, drink & hospitality, learn from inspiring innovators and source quality products from more than 1,500 UK and international suppliers. 

Visitors to Food, Drink & Hospitality Week in March can expect insightful debates, chef demos, panel discussions and new product pitches across ten dynamic stages, plus over 100 live competitions taking place as part of International Salon Culinaire.  

This year will see the launch of the World Catering Technology Awards, in partnership with FoodBev Media, the launch of the IFE Manufacturing Ingredients Awards, in partnership with the IFST, networking events hosted by HSPA, Arena and the FEA, the return of Chef HQ, in partnership with Chef Publishing, and much more. 

Portfolio Director Philippa Christer comments: “The launch of the Food, Drink & Hospitality Week brand is an important step in an exhilarating period of growth for our March portfolio of events, expanding our partnerships with key industry organisations and diversifying our offering to the industry.  

“Our vision for Food, Drink & Hospitality Week is a citywide celebration of everything that makes this sector unique: showcasing product innovation, connecting visitors with the trailblazers that can transform their business and providing a platform for discussions vital to the industry’s future.”  

Food, Drink & Hospitality Week will include:  

IFE Manufacturing 

A bustling hub of NPD innovation, IFE Manufacturing is the ultimate product-sourcing platform for food & drink manufacturers and brand owners to do business. Visit the show to discover sustainable packaging providers, ethical ingredients brands, accreditation and product testing experts, food science and technology innovators, and quality processing equipment suppliers. 

On the Trends & Innovation Platform, visitors will hear from leading industry experts on topics at the forefront of food science and food development, uncovering the most exciting trends and new advances in this fast-paced sector.  

IFE 

For over 40 years, IFE has been a trusted resource for buyers in retail, wholesale and hospitality to discover the latest new products, learn more about trends in food & drink and stay ahead of the competition in a market always seeking out the next big thing.  

Visitors can explore the very latest new products in the Startup Market, hear directly from brand owners in the New Products Tasting Theatre, meet with suppliers from all over the world and gain key insights into the trends of tomorrow at the Future Food Stage.  

New for 2024 is a dedicated Cheese Pavilion, a Fresh Produce Section in partnership with the Fresh Produce Consortium and a Producer & New Supplier Showcase by Aramark. 

In addition, the Federation of Wholesale Distributors (FWD) will be hosting an exclusive Meet the Buyer event, the Exporters Hub will be providing invaluable insights into international trade, and the Distributor Discovery Hours will see presentations from major wholesale brands including Bidfood and Sysco.

The Pub Show 

The only UK event dedicated entirely to the pub & bar sector, The Pub Show is a must-attend for owners and operators looking to network with industry peers, sample quality beers, wines and spirits and meet with a wide range of service suppliers to the sector.  

In addition to popular returning feature The Taproom, The Pub Show will also be launching The Pub Stage in partnership with the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) and introducing new opportunities to network in a fun and informal setting in The Beer Garden, designed by Black & Stainless Creative Metalwork.  

A bustling networking hub and meeting area at the heart of the show, the Beer Garden will play host to the finals of the Mr Gin Mixologist of the Year competition and will feature a unique pub quiz and bingo event from Hashtag Host.  

HRC  

The UK’s leading trade event for hospitality and foodservice, HRC is back and better than ever next year with countless new features, partnerships and networking opportunities. Visitors will have the chance to source suppliers across Hospitality Tech, Professional Kitchen, Foodservice, and Design, Décor & Tableware, and to explore the brand-new Light Equipment Pavilion packed with quality brands including Contacto, Signature and Denby Pottery. 

Industry professionals can expect inspiring leaders in the UK hospitality sector to dive deep into the latest trends and best practice on the Vision Stage, designed by Harp Design, and on the TechX stage visitors can learn about the latest developments in hospitality tech and gain advice on how to elevate their tech stack and optimise customer experience. 

The Networking Hub, designed by Design Command, will be partnering with leading associations including Arena, the Foodservice Equipment Association (FEA) and HOSPA to host networking events and opportunities to connect with industry peers. 

Plus, 2024 will see the return of Chef HQ, curated by Chef Publishing, a demo kitchen, stage and networking area packed with leading chefs from the UK taking deep dives into a range of cuisines, trends and ingredients.  

International Salon Culinaire  

Historic chef competition International Salon Culinaire returns to challenge and inspire chefs of all levels to demonstrate their skills and creativity. With over 100 live and static competitions taking place across three days including Sugarcraft, Salon Display, Static Display and the Live Theatre, the event is set to welcome up to 1,000 competing chefs for 2024 alongside new competition judges including Cherish Finden, Jason Howard and Afzal Khan.  

New for 2024 is the Australian Wagyu Beef competition in partnership with Meat & Livestock Australia, Junior and Senior pasta competitions in partnership with Dell’Ugo and an evolution of Tilda Chef Team of the Year which will challenge competing chefs to focus on using ‘waste’ or by-products to create delicious dishes. The competition has also welcomed Oatly as a partner for an all-new plant-based challenge.   

Don’t miss out on your chance to be a part of the UK’s biggest celebration of innovation in food, drink and hospitality on 25-27 March 2024 at ExCeL London. To find out more about everything happening as part of Food, Drink & Hospitality Week, and to register for your complimentary trade ticket, visit fooddrinkandhospitalityweek.co.uk.