What the Speciality Food team has been up to recently

Stilton Week 10th-18th October

It was a busy week for the Speciality Food team as we got out and about celebrating Stilton Week (10th-18th October), a national campaign encouraging independent retailers to showcase one of Britain’s most iconic cheeses. We visited delis, farm shops and cheesemongers across the country, capturing the action on film, from in-store tastings and customer reactions to conversations with the retailers and cheesemakers who are passionate about Stilton.

Sam Reubin, publisher of Speciality Food, says, “It was brilliant to see so many independent retailers getting behind Stilton Week. What I really enjoyed was seeing customers trying Stilton, sometimes for the first time, and hearing directly from retailers about the difference these sorts of campaigns can make. Independent shops are fantastic at introducing people to great food, and Stilton Week was a perfect opportunity to show that in action.”

Great British Food Awards

On 6th October, we headed to Spitalfields in London for the Great British Food Awards, bringing together producers and food industry professionals to celebrate some of Britain’s finest food and drink.

The afternoon was an opportunity to recognise the passion, skill and creativity of British producers, with eight regional champions and the overall Grand Champion revealed during the event.

It was also a chance to catch up with familiar faces, meet some exciting new producers and celebrate the incredible variety of food and drink being made across the country.

Look out for more on this year’s winners in the latest issue of Great British Food, out later this month.

Japanese fermented foods

Our editor, Holly Shackleton, travelled to Hackney to attend an event all about the wonders of Japanese fermented foods.

Discovering, tasting and learning about new ingredients, flavours and trends is a huge part of what the Speciality Food team love to get up to in their spare time – as well as, of course, writing about them. “Fermentation and Asian food are massive trends right now, so I’m excited to share my findings with our readers soon!” said Holly.

lunch! 2026: An exhibition first for Speciality Food

The whole Speciality Food team attended lunch! 2026 in September: a major UK event focused on the food-to-go, café, coffee shop, retail and hospitality sectors. 

Taking place on 16th-17th September 2026, it was the first time Speciality Food attended as exhibitors – and it didn’t disappoint thanks to its reams of new products, innovations and connections to be made across retail and foodservice.

Speciality Food wasn’t the only one experiencing a first this year, as lunch! did too. For the first time, the event formed part of the new London Food & Drink Festival, alongside The National Restaurant, Pub & Bar Show; London Drinks Exchange; Natural & Organic Food Show; and Artisan Food & Drink Show. 

Get the lowdown on the latest food and drink news

Our October issue is now out, and it is packed full of features. Read up on Christmas cheese; Christmas drinks, chutneys and pickles; and Christmas trends, cakes and puddings – it is nearly the festive season after all! Find out all about Southern US and Mexican cuisine too, in this issue’s Trend Watch. Grab your digital copy here!

We’re also publishing Confectionery & Chocolate Buyer this month, giving you the latest on the products, insights and innovations hitting the sweet sector. Affordable indulgence, inclusive products such as free-from and vegan, and exciting new flavours and formats are just some of the latest developments we’re delving into. 

And, as the new year is just around the corner, we’re excited to share a glimpse of the big trends we’ll be talking about in the fine food and drink industry throughout 2027. We’ll be exploring the craft behind hot drinks, Mediterranean cuisine, store cupboard must haves and last-minute Christmas ideas. 

We’re now working on Speciality Food’s November/December issue and looking for product submissions for Stock Check 2027, so get in touch via specialityfood@artichokehq.com.

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