IFE, part of Food, Drink & Hospitality Week, returns to Excel London on 17-19 March packed with insights into future trends in food & drink. With thousands of innovative products on display and a seminar programme full of invaluable insights and industry research, IFE is a must-attend event for retail and wholesale professionals.
For more than 45 years, IFE has been at the heart of the UK food & drink industry and this year’s event will be no exception, with 15 dedicated show sections covering everything from Speciality Food to bakery, Snacks & Confectionery to Grocery & Wholesale for visitors to explore and countless opportunities to network with industry peers.
The show will also welcome exhibiting brands from more than 60 countries around the world, from Australia to Poland and from Rwanda to Turkey.
Uncover innovative new products
For anyone eager to discover the latest brands, products, and innovations, IFE is a fantastic resource. The show’s Startup Market connects retail and wholesale professionals with a diverse range of emerging brands, while the New Products Tasting Theatre allows visitors to hear directly from brand owners and sample their products.
Elsewhere in the show, food & drink buyers can explore new products from brands such as BOLLE Drinks, creators of non-alcoholic wine for wine lovers. The collection launched in September 2024 with two sparkling wines—Blanc de Blancs and Rosé—while February 2025 saw the release of BOLLE’s first still wine, Chardonnay. Fynoderee Distillery will also be launching a new signature gin at this year’s edition of IFE.
Rice and convenience meal brand Veetee will be offering attendees an exclusive look at its newest collection—HungryHeads—designed for busy consumers who refuse to compromise on taste. The lineup features a variety of globally inspired, ready-in-minutes meal options. British Canadian brand Pure Maple will also be launching a rebranded lineup of 100% pure maple syrup products, newly certified organic.
Action Foods, meanwhile, will be unveiling The Smiling Cook, a premium range of pre-cooked IQF pasta and ambient ready-made sauces. Frozen food brand Taj Foods will also be showcasing its latest innovation, the Taj Curry Base Miz Frozen.
Insights from industry leaders
The Future Food Stage at IFE is set to be essential for retail and wholesale professionals looking to stay ahead of fast-evolving consumer preferences. From shifting demographics to disruptive innovation, this year’s agenda will provide deep insights into the future of food & drink.
One key session, ‘What’s Hot (and Cold) in Drinks: The Trends Shaping 2025,’ will explore how sustainability, health consciousness, and cutting-edge innovation are reshaping the beverage industry. Led by Phil Peters, Director of Supply Chain Services at YF, and Rob Dixon, Director of Commercial Services at YF, this discussion will provide a roadmap for brands looking to future-proof their drinks offering.
The panel ‘Forgotten Shoppers: Embracing Overlooked Demographics in Food & Drink,’ moderated by Karen Green, Founder of Buyerology Ltd, will highlight untapped consumer groups with significant spending power. Visitors will hear from major industry voices, including Christarose Maphosa (Tesco), Kieran South (North Star), and Rebecca Oliver-Mooney (Raising the Glass), on how to better cater to these influential shoppers.
For those keen to learn more about how retailers are accelerating innovation, ‘Revolutionising Retail: How Accelerators and Incubators Are Shaping the Future’ will be a must-see discussion. Moderated by Theadora Alexander, CEO of YF, this session will showcase how supermarket and wholesaler incubators are giving startups a competitive edge, with insights from Bidfood, Co-op, and Iceland.
‘Consumer Trends in 2025: Three Key Things to Monitor Over the Next Twelve Months,’ presented by Kate Kehoe, Marketing Manager at FMCG Gurus, will explore shifting consumer behaviours and key priorities shaping decisions in the year ahead. As the food & drink landscape evolves rapidly, these sessions will provide a vital pulse check on where the industry is headed.
IFE takes place alongside IFE Manufacturing, The Pub Show, HRC and International Salon Culinaire as part of Food, Drink & Hospitality Week. To find out more about everything happening at this year’s event, and to register for your complimentary trade ticket, visit ife.co.uk.
