Speciality & Fine Food Fair Registrations are currently open, and the 25th Anniversary Edition promises an enhanced experience and exciting new features.
This year’s fair, which will take place at Olympia, London from Tuesday 10th to Wednesday 11th September 2024, will celebrate the event’s tradition and introduce several new features and significant changes aimed at increasing value for attendees in the speciality food and beverage sector.
New for 2024:
wine cellar: A new dedicated section to explore and discover fine wines from around the world. The area will showcase a carefully selected range of premium wines, offering a unique experience to wine buyers at the fair.
Drink Secrets: This new stage will bring together a wide range of experts to discuss the latest developments in the beverage industry. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from leading experts and gain insights into the new trends and innovations that will shape the future of beverages, from hot and soft drinks to alcoholic and low-alcohol drinks.
Tasting Stations: New tasting stations will offer curated tasting opportunities, allowing visitors to taste and experience a variety of high-quality specialty food and beverage products. This addition will enhance the interactive and sensory experience of the fair.
Celebrating 25 rising stars: In addition to these exciting new features, the fair will also host a special event celebrating 25 Rising Stars from the UK food and drink sector, who were announced in partnership with Speciality Food Magazine in June. Rising Stars will shine the spotlight on promising foodie founders and inspiring entrepreneurs who are in the early stages of product development, showcasing the next generation of talent in the food and drink industry.
What’s changed Registration and Attendance Policy
To ensure the fair attracts its target audience of food and beverage buyers and producers, visitor registration approval has been introduced at this year’s fair.
Retailers, hospitality professionals, food and beverage buyers and food and beverage producers will still be able to attend the event free of charge, however suppliers to food and beverage producers will be subject to vetting and will not be able to attend the event free of charge.
Nicola Woods, Events Manager for the Speciality & Fine Food Fair, commented: “Each year the fair is proud to welcome a diverse and loyal community of leading food and drink buyers who trust the event to provide them with a great selection of high-quality speciality produce.”
“This is important as we celebrate our 25th anniversary.Number “This year we are working hard to ensure the fair attracts the right audience and allows buyers and producers to connect, do business and get value from the event. Suppliers to food and beverage brands are a vital part of the industry ecosystem, but our focus must be on facilitating valuable new connections between buyers and speciality producers – that is at the heart of the fair.”
The fair’s organizers, Montgomery Group, have committed to investing in thorough vetting of potential attendees to ensure the 2024 event will deliver a relevant and engaged audience, enhanced networking opportunities and more opportunities for both buyers and exhibitors to connect with the right people to grow their business.
Paul Hargreaves, CEO of Cotswold Fair, commented: “At Cotswold Fair we love exhibiting at trade events, talking to customers and building new relationships with retailers – after all, isn’t that the main purpose of the event?
“However, in recent years there has been growing frustration with non-exhibitor businesses crowding into our booths and trying to sell us their services and products, preventing us from speaking to our customers. We are pleased that this year, for the first time, the Specialty & Fine Food Fair will be charging an admission fee.”
Specialty & Fine Food Fair 2024 will also include popular returning events such as a Startup Village showcasing new food and beverage brands, the Talking Trends Stage where visitors can stay up to date on all the latest trends and topics and hear from inspiring industry leaders, and the Specialty & Fine Food Fair Awards, which this year introduces a new DEI Initiative category to recognise the amazing work businesses across the industry are doing to improve diversity, equality and inclusion.
The Speciality & Fine Food Fair will be held at Olympia, London from Tuesday 10th to Wednesday 11th September. For more information about this year’s event and to register, please visit EnglandSuppliers to food and drink manufacturers must pay a fee of £350 (including VAT) to attend the fair and provide proof of their connection to the food and drink industry.
