Brexit, plant-based eating, sustainable packaging, gut-friendly foods and sugar-free are the trends or topics to watch out for at The International Food & Drink Event (IFE), to be held at The ExCel in London from this Sunday, March 17 to Wednesday, March 20.
The biennial event, co-located with processing & packaging event Pro2Pac, provides both British and international suppliers with the rare opportunity to meet and connect with top retail, wholesale and distribution, import and export and foodservice and hospitality buyers all under one roof.
Organizers says there will be 1,350 innovative, global and cutting-edge food & drink manufacturers attending this year from 111 countries.
Confectioners and snackers with an appetite for the latest influences in the food drink sector will be able to tap into the most up-to-date innovations and insights at the Talking Trends stage throughout the four-day event to share their experiences, opinions and predictions.
The impressive line-up includes Maria Antidormi, insight consultant at Anima Insight; Al Overton, senior buyer at Planet Organic; Derek Sarno, director of plant-based food innovation at Tesco; and James Hacon, managing director of Think Hospitality.
While industry experts say plant-based food remains the hottest topic, other trends coming through include the new stronger spicy flavors in snacks and confectionery.
Soraya Gadelrab, event director for IFE, said: “We have brought together a truly fantastic line-up of experts for next year’s event, to offer buyers the most up-to-date intel on the changing food and drink landscape and provide inspiration, ideas and tools to help businesses tap into upcoming trends. It’s a must-visit for anyone looking to grow their business in 2019 and beyond.”