When we talk about London’s most popular trade shows, International Food and Drink Event or IFE has to be mentioned. If your working or interested to work in the food and drink industry, IFE becomes a must attend event, and that it because it brings together people from all over the world who are interested in the industry. Trends in the sector and the newest goods are also displayed. From its history to the events you can expect at the next one, we will cover all you need to know about IFE 2025 in this piece.
History and Overview of IFE
To understand anything in detail we must first know the history of the same, talking about IFE, it has a very long-standing history as one of the superior food and drink trade shows in the world. It was established over 4 decades ago but is still relevant as it has grown to become very important. It brings together manufacturers, suppliers and buyers to share ideas and explore new opportunities by serving as a platform.
IFE is not just a marketplace, it is a hub for connecting, learning and discovering. Year after year IFE has acted like a stage for launching new food products, discovering emerging trends and building lasting business connections.
Dates and Location
IFE 2025 will take place from March 23rd to 25th at ExCeL London. ExCeL London is one of the cities biggest and most diverse exhibition videos located in the heart of London’s royal docs. The venue is very easily accessible by public transport such as the London underground dlr, and multiple bus routes. ExCeL London is also accessible for international visitors as it is located near the London city airport making it very easy to reach from different parts of the world.
Who should attend
Now let’s come towards the most important part who should attend and why. IFE 2025 it’s design especially for professionals across the food and drink industry, such as:
- Manufacturers and producers: Starting from small businesses to large scale manufacturers, IFE provides a platform to display your products and attract and connect with potential buyers.
- Distributors and Wholesalers: Attendees get to know about lots of new products to add to that portfolios and connect with suppliers from around the world.
- Retailers: Both independent and chase retailers can come to the event to explore the latest trends and discoveries in the food and drink sector helping them to stay ahead in the competitive market.
- Food service professionals: To find inspiration and advance your product’s IFE is also attended by chefs, restaurateurs and catering companies.
- Buyers and procurement managers: IFE is also a very important resource for professionals who source products for supermarkets, restaurants and food service companies.
- Industry consultants and analysts: Everyone involved in market analysis, trend forecasting and business consultancy can gained valuable insights into the latest industry developments.
Exhibitors and products you’ll get to see
At IFE 2025 you’ll get to see a diverse range of exhibitors, such as follows:
- Food and beverage producers: Companies offering everything from snacks, beverages and confectionery to daily products frozen foods and organic items will be seen.
- Health and wellness products: Day by day people are becoming more health conscious, and for that reason IFE will have a display of wide variety of products that cater to the health and wellness market including gluten free, vegan and low sugar options.
- International pavilions: Exhibitors from all over the world will have special pavilions that’ll display their unique food and drink products, and offer attendees a taste of global flavors.
Event highlights
IFE 2025 will have a great variety of events making it an unforgettable experience for attendees
- Innovative awards: The well known innovation awards will celebrate products in the industry which were most creative and forward thinking, the competition will encourage exhibitors to push all the boundaries of what’s possible and winners will gain significant recognition.
- Trend tails: The purpose of these trails is to help attendees identify the most important products and ensure they don’t miss out on the most exciting developments. The attendees will be guided through exhibitions to explore the main industry trends during this event.
- Workshops and seminars: Multiple workshops and educational sessions cover subjects like consumer behavior, sustainability, and the use of technology in food production will be offered. Attendees will gain important knowledge from the candid evaluations and experiences shared by professionals in the field.
- Live cooking demonstrations: In this event top chefs and professional culinary experts get to display their cooking skills through live cooking demonstrations, they highlight new techniques, ingredients and set trends in the food and service industry.
- Networking events: IFE 2025 will not be complete without hosting lots of networking opportunities such as mixers, breakfast meetings and evening receptions. These events will help attendees to connect with similar minded professionals and establish good business connections.
Why attend IFE 2025
Let’s now take a look at the list of reasons why you should attend IFE 2025:
- Get to know about new products: At IFE you’ll get to see hundreds of exhibitors displaying even a bigger list of products, making it the perfect place to discover new products that you can add to your product list or menus.
- Stay ahead of trends: IFE is popular for focusing on innovation and setting new trends. So by attending you will be able to stay ahead of your competitors and make sure that your business remains relevant.
- Gain industry insights: The seminars, workshops and trend trails provide lots of important info related to the newest industry developments providing you with the knowledge to make more informed business decisions.
- Experience global flavors: Lots of international pavilions and exhibitors from around the world participate in IFE, so attending will offer you the unique opportunity to experience and dive in the unique flavours and products from different cultures.
How to prepare for IFE 2025
Here is everything you need to prepare for IFE 2025
- Register early: Make sure that you fill the registrations in advance to secure your place in the event, as early registrations also offer many discounts and special access to certain parts of the event.
- Plan your visit: Take out sometimes to review the exhibitor list and plan your schedule before attending. Start by identifying the companies or the workshops which will be most relevant to your interests and plan your visit accordingly.
- Set goals: It is very important to know why you want to attend IFE and to plan accordingly. Only setting proper goals will help you stay focused and make your visit super beneficial.
- Bring business cards: Networking can be one highlights of IFE visit, so always have your business cards accessible so that you can give them to attendees whenever you feel like it.
- Dress comfortably: IFE 2025 will be a huge one, so dressing comfortably is a must. Plus it is always be beneficial if you choose to bring a bag to carry any brochure samples or promotional materials that you will collect during the event.
- Post event follow-up: Even after you attend IFE, it’s very important to follow up with the connection and opportunities you have discovered during the event, consider doing the following:
- Review contacts: Make sure to review the business cards and notes that you collected during the event. Consider reaching out to people that your met to express your interest in possible collabs or business opportunities.
- Evaluate products: If you have discovered new products are suppliers understand and analyse how they can fit into your business strategy. Schedule follow-ups or meetings to test the products further.
- Share insights: After attending seminars or workshops share whatever knowledge you have gained with your team. This will help everyone to inspire new ideas and strategies that can be beneficial for your business.
To conclude, IFE 2025 is surely going to be a memorable event for you if you are interested in the food and drink industry, as it will provide you with the golden opportunity to discover new products, gain important info related to the industry and help you build valuable connections.
So make sure to reserve your spot, plan your visit and get ready to experience the newest trends in the international food and drink industry. Good luck!
