IFE returns to celebrate innovation in food and drink
IFE, International Food & Drink Event, returns to ExCeL London on 20-22 March 2023, packed with thousands of quality food & drink products, over 100 insightful discussions, presentations and demos, and a host of exciting new features
With more than 1,500 suppliers from over 90 countries taking part in the event, IFE is the UK’s most comprehensive showcase of British and international food and drink, and Wholesale News is proud to be a Media Partner for this year’s event.
Pavilions representing countries including Australia, the United States, Italy, Romania and many more will be on hand to showcase a wide range of quality international products, while international buyers will have the opportunity to visit the Exporters Hub, powered by Institute of Export & International Trade, sponsored by K International, to quickly and efficiently source export-ready food & drink brands with infrastructure in place for international sales.
IFE is packed with new features for 2023, including the Startup Market, an area of the event dedicated to new and exciting food & drink brands, and the New Products Tasting Theatre, where visitors will have the opportunity to sample new products and delicious dishes from key distributors.
James Bielby, Chief Executive of Key Partner the Federation of Wholesale Distributors (FWD), comments: “IFE is a fantastic opportunity for our members to check out new and exciting products in the world of food and drink and to hear all about the latest industry trends. We can’t wait to attend!”
This year’s edition of IFE sees the addition of the Sustainability Stage, sponsored by Elopak, reflecting the importance and complexity of ESG as a topic within food & drink. Across the three days of the show, including a day of content curated by the Food & Drink Federation (FDF), leading industry experts and speakers will delve deep into a range of topics within sustainability, from decarbonising food systems to creating a circular economy for food & drink packaging to the evolution of sustainability in the world of frozen food, and a whole lot more.
FDF Head of Climate Change & Energy Policy Emma Piercy comments: “The FDF is delighted to be partnering with IFE for the inaugural Sustainability Stage at this world class event.
“Global food systems make up around one quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Bringing all stakeholders together and collaborating at IFE is essential to building the resilient and sustainable food systems we need.”
One must-attend session on the Sustainability Stage is ‘Reasons to invest in wholesale: A sustainable channel’, moderated by James Bielby, CEO of the FWD, and featuring panellists Steve Marks, Associate Director Wholesale at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, Lauren Bryce, Senior National Account Manager at Dash Water and Mert Ucar, Managing Director at Holland Bazaar.
The session will cover the great strides the wholesale sector is making within ESG: examining supply chains, reassessing company values and adapting business plans to meet ambitious environmental goals.
Elsewhere at the show, the Trends & Innovation Platform will be packed with sessions taking a look at a wide variety of trends and topics within the worlds of food & drink.
In ‘Where to begin with a brand extension? Unlocking the profitability of powerful partnerships’, Business coach and food mentor Karen Green will be joined by an all-star panel of industry experts to discuss what it takes to build successful partnership with complementary brands, and how both retailers and food & drink brands can look to take advantage of opportunities in the market.
She comments: “IFE 2023 is going to be THE food expo with amazing exhibitors, the right business visitors and a seminar programme packed with interesting insights on the subjects that matter. I am proud to be part of the seminar programme and wish I had a clone so I could attend everything on offer!”
IFE takes place alongside IFE Manufacturing, Hotel. Restaurant & Catering (HRC), The Pub Show @ HRC and historic chef competition International Salon Culinaire. To find out more and to register for your complimentary trade ticket, visit ife.co.uk.
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