Lovers of Food and drink, be it ethnic, exotic, traditional or just plain simple fare will be counting down the clock to the Food and Drink Expo 2020 at the NEC in Birmingham. We Brits have become quite the connoisseurs of tastes and we have moved on from the “meat and two veg, fish on Friday and tea with everything” stereotype that was a part of our culture for so long. Now we have a much more refined palate and the Expo is a chance for us to exercise those taste buds with something new and wonderful. Although, there several good reasons to go even if it is to reacquaint ourselves with some old favourites as well, a good pie and mash option is still most welcome.
It’s not just all about Food and Drink. There are many speakers and lectures about the ever changing state of the food and drink industry. As with all sectors of business there are a multitude of challenges facing producers not only the post Brexit world (which will be a very hot topic) but also what about the option of online shopping and how, as we mentioned above the changing demands of the British public. The cost to the environment will be looked at as we are all encouraged to shop locally and seasonally, the day of strawberries in December might well become a thing of the past.
The heavy issues above can take a backseat for a while as there is plenty of time over the Expo’s three days to with a plethora of tastes to regale anyone’s willing taste buds. Hundreds of producers gather under the roof of the NEC ready to show their wares including new lines and some old standbys. There is an enormous array of food and drink for the consumer to try and for the retailer to try and pick out the next be thing and even better it costs nothing to attend!
What can you see there? There are large suppliers like Booker advertising other smaller retailers and distributors but amongst the big players you will find smaller suppliers with bespoke products. For example the exotically named Black Shuck Distillery from Norfolk or try some innovation with Broccoli Crisps from Growers garden and Hebridean Sea salt fudge made with real sea water from the Isle of Skye. There is the healthy and not so healthy (plenty of Chocolate on display!) and the rise of the use of chilli products Smokinghotchillibees (that really is their name!) Firecracker sauce, being one example. With far too many to mention here it’s certainly going to be a lot of fun finding out.
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