- Five major food, drink and hospitality trade shows will come together at Excel London on 16-17 September, with one free ticket giving buyers access to all five events.
lunch!
lunch! is the UK’s leading trade event for the food-to-go, café and coffee shop sector, bringing together innovative brands, industry experts, buyers and operators to discover the latest products, trends and ideas shaping the market.
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The new London Food & Drink Festival will open its doors next week, bringing together five food, drink and hospitality trade shows at Excel London for the first time.
Taking place on 16-17 September, the festival will see lunch! join forces with The National Restaurant, Pub & Bar Show; London Drinks Exchange; Natural & Organic Food Show; and Artisan Food & Drink Show.
For independent retailers, food-to-go operators and buyers, the new format offers the opportunity to discover products and trends across a much broader range of categories in a single visit. One free trade ticket, when registered for in advance, provides access to all five shows.
More than 600 exhibitors will showcase food, drink, technology and equipment across the festival, alongside a programme of more than 200 speakers on eight stages.
Chris Brazier, group event director for the London Food & Drink Festival, said the new format reflects the increasingly blurred boundaries between hospitality and food retail. “We have a strong track record of delivering the most innovative exhibitors, the most forward-thinking buyers and industry leaders talking across our keynote stages.”
“But the lines between sectors are becoming more blurred, with many companies operating across sectors, so this is an incredibly exciting time, offering even more value for both exhibitors and visitors,” Chris added.
What to look out for at lunch!
New product discovery will be a major focus of lunch!, with its exhibitor line-up spanning snacks, functional drinks, coffee, plant-based products, packaging and other food-to-go categories.
Brands confirmed to exhibit include Oatly, TRIP, Popcorn Kitchen, Deliciously Ella, Organix, MOJU, Capri Sun, Minor Figures, Twinings, LOVE CORN, graze, Yeo Valley Organic, Walkers Shortbread, Biomel, Vegware, UCC Coffee and Kellanova.
The Innovation Challenge will also return, spotlighting new food-to-go products launched within the past 12 months, while the Start Up Zone will provide a showcase for emerging brands.
Katie Tyler, event director for lunch!, said: “The food-to-go and coffee shop market never slows down, and this is where the industry stays ahead of it.”
“The buyers walking our aisles are the ones shaping what’s on the counter next season, and this year they’re joined by decision makers from four other shows, all under one roof,” Katie added.
Industry leaders join speaker programme
A packed speaker programme will run alongside the exhibition, with lunch! hosting sessions across its Coffee Shop, Food-to-Go and Retail & Convenience stages.
Confirmed speakers include Pano Christou, CEO of Pret A Manger; James Campbell, director of product and innovation at Sainsbury’s; Alasdair Murdoch, chief executive at Burger King; Annabel Mackie, marketing director at itsu; Caroline Ottoy, managing director at WatchHouse; and Alice Hutfield, director of development at KFC.
Sessions will cover areas including product innovation, marketing and operations, offering visitors insight into the issues shaping food retail, coffee shops and the wider hospitality market.
Five shows with one ticket
Registration for lunch! will also provide access to the four events taking place alongside it.
The National Restaurant, Pub & Bar Show will feature four additional stages, including the new CHEF LIVE Stage, while the Natural & Organic Food Show will showcase brands and trends from the natural and organic sector.
London Drinks Exchange will broaden the drinks offer, while the Artisan Food & Drink Show will bring together artisan producers—giving speciality food buyers another opportunity to discover products and suppliers outside the traditional lunch! exhibitor base.
Start-Up and Launchpad Zones, Innovation Challenge Galleries and interactive features will also run across the two days.
The London Food & Drink Festival takes place at Excel London on 16-17 September 2026.
Free trade registration is available in advance, subject to verification. One ticket provides access to all five shows.
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