The UK's premier trade event for the specialist retail sector - the Farm Shop & Deli Show - returns to the NEC, Birmingham this April as part of the UK Food & Drink Shows.
The event will leave with heightened awareness of the sector’s newest and most unique products as well as its innovation and sustainability capabilities. Register for a free pass here.
A jam-packed show floor will be showcasing the latest products and services with big name exhibitors such as Cawston Press (Stand T331), Pip & Nut (Stand T362), Cook (Stand S310), Silent Pool Distillery (Stand M289) and Godminster (Stand Q279) showcasing their wares.
Also exhibiting are EcoBags (Stand P281), suppliers of fully bespoke branded reusable bags; Love Corn (Stand U348) the crunchy corn snack that comes in a variety of flavours; and The Cape Cornwall Rum Company (Stand Q350) showcasing their finest Caribbean rums with a Cornish twist.
For the full list of exhibitors and products on show, visit their website here.
Meanwhile, on The Grocer Live stage, expert panels will be discussing some of the biggest issues facing the sector.
Industry heavyweights such as Kate Nicholls OBE, Chief Executive at UKHospitality, Will Shu, CEO & Founder of Deliveroo and Tom Athron, CEO at Fortnum & Mason are just some of the names that have been lined up to tackle hot-topic issues.
Key highlights of the programme’s schedule include:
The cost-of-living crisis: How has UK food and drink adapted and what is the outlook?
Rising energy bills, staffing shortages and record inflation are three of the challenges the UK food and drink industry continues to face.
In this session, we are joined by the leading trade organisations to analyse the support available to businesses (1:20pm, Monday 24th April).
Low2No in retail: The challenges and opportunities
The Low2No alcohol category continues to grow, with supermarkets dedicating more and more space to the category. In terms of growth in retail, what's next for the category?
How can manufacturers further grow within the major supermarkets and what opportunities are there in smaller format retail? (3:45pm, Monday 24 April).
Dragons' Pantry
Ready to witness the ultimate retail test? Watch and learn as brave entrepreneurs meet our fearsomely-experienced industry ‘dragons’ to make their 15-minute pitch.
Success could bring a new listing and coverage in The Grocer, while everyone gets invaluable insights into what works in-store (10:00am, Tuesday 25th and 2.30pm, Wednesday 26th April).
Plant-based potential: The rapid rise of alternative foods and growth opportunities ahead
As consumers are becoming more aware of the impact of what they consume has on the environment and their health, the popularity of the plant-based category has accelerated.
In this session, sponsored by Lincoln International, Alex Masters is joined by a panel of plant-based experts to discuss the acceleration of the plant-based food category and the challenges and opportunities on the horizon (12:00pm, Tuesday 25th April).
Farm Shop & Deli Show unveils it's 2023 retailers of the year
It’s time to recognise the speciality retailers leading the sector in customer service, innovation, community involvement as well as initiatives aimed at retaining, rewarding and empowering staff at our 2023 Awards.
Plus, Nigel Barden will catch up with a few of our previous winners, talking about the future of the industry and how they are adapting to the challenges that the sector faces (3:15pm, Tuesday 25 April).
Does sustainability come at a cost? Net-Zero, Carbon Neutral - these are all claims or industry buzzwords used to highlight to consumers positive actions in the fight against climate change.
In reality, what do they symbolise? In this session, Paul Hargreaves, CEO at Cotswold Fayre is joined by a panel of experts to analyse the importance of sustainability to consumers and the role of the supply chain to drive change. (Education Hub, Tuesday 25th April, 12.30pm).
See the full line-up of sessions and speakers here.
