UK’s biggest food & drink show to be bolstered by inclusion of The Restaurant Show

05-Oct-2023 - Last updated on 05-Oct-2023 at 10:07 GMT

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The Restaurant Show, previously held in London, will become part of the UK Food & Drink Shows (Food & Drink Expo, Farm Shop & Deli Show, National Convenience Show, and The Forecourt Show), enhancing the UK’s largest food and drink event at the NEC Birmingham in April 2024 (29 April to 1 May).

Supported by William Reed’s portfolio of media publications, the industry renowned UK Food & Drink Shows already deliver over 1,200 exhibitors to a highly engaged visitor base of food and drink professionals and are viewed as the go-to events for the entire UK food & drink supply chain.

In 2023, The Restaurant Show made significant investments to deliver a world-class content programme, with dedicated areas for restaurant trends, bar & drinks insight and chef mentoring sessions. Speakers included Tommy Banks, Michael O’Hare, Sacha Lord, Emma McClarkin, Helen Charlesworth and Sally Abé.

Next year will see the same investments and more, as The Restaurant Show moves to a national scale in the centre of the UK.

William Reed retains a strong footprint in the capital through its hospitality events portfolio, consisting of 36 events, 21 of which are in the London, including The Publican Awards, The Restaurant Conference, The Pub Conference and National Restaurant Awards.

William Reed wine and exhibitions managing director Andrew Reed said: “London has been a great home for The Restaurant Show however, the UK Needs a national show that is representative of the entire industry.

“This has been in the making for some time as we continue to grow the hospitality audience at the UK Food & Drink Shows.

“With 30% of our existing audience in Birmingham operating in hospitality, the timing is right to build on the UK’s largest food and drink event.

“We remain as committed as ever to providing the hospitality industry with the content, education and inspiration that will help them thrive.

“The UK Food & Drink Shows provide the perfect platform to achieve this, offering visitors and exhibitors the platform to engage with a wider pool of business opportunities and gain inspiration from adjacent sectors.”