Category Archives: Press Releases

Casual Dining 2018 brings new innovations, big names & record crowds to London

Casual Dining – the restaurant, pub and bar event of the year – was making headlines last week, with its biggest event yet securing another record turnout. 200 exhibitors, 31 Keynote speakers and 4,803 unique attendees – are the top line figures from the 2018 show, which bid farewell to its Business Design Centre venue in style over 21-22 February. Known for being a magnet for top buyers from across the casual dining sector, visitors included thousands of senior executives from all the UK’s biggest restaurant, pub and bar groups, plus the best independent operators, hotels, wholesalers, distributors, attractions, and…

Casual Dining 2018: In pictures

London was the capital of the casual dining world this week – as Casual Dining returned to the BDC to showcase the best new products, solutions, insights, and innovations of the year. We’ll be publishing the post-show review soon, in the meantime here’s a few photos from the show floor:

Freedom Brewery named King of Craft – again

Freedom Brewery has retained its crown — winning King of Craft at Casual Dining for a second year running.  It took the top spot with its (vegan certified) Freedom Pils – Pilsner Lager. As in previous years, it was a close-run competition.  Over the last two days at the show, the 2018 judges — including dozens of VIP drinks buyers, press and beer experts — have been sampling their way around the many delights of the Craft Beer & Cider Pavilion.  It’s a tough job… King of Craft contenders also included: Black Storm Porter from Black Storm Brewery Thundering Molly from…

Casual Dining 2018: Innovation Challenge Awards results

New innovations by Carlsberg UK, Crooked Beverage Co, Double Dutch Drinks, Heineken UK – Blade, and Yumpingo scored top marks with the judges at Casual Dining today.  All five were awarded Gold in the show’s prestigious Innovation Challenge Awards, which recognise the best casual dining products and solutions of the year.

Innovation Challenge Awards: The votes are in!

Casual Dining visitors were busy casting their votes yesterday at the Innovation Challenge Awards Gallery. Their top-picks (13 in all) have now been shortlisted for today’s Innovation Challenge Live ‘pitching’ session, taking place at 11.15am in the BDC’s Executive Centre, with the results to be announced at 2.15pm. Exhibitors hoping their products will come away with a coveted ‘Gold Award’ will need to impress this year’s judges first – including Alice Elwes (Côte Brasserie), Megan Lewis-Thomas (Casual Dining Group), Chris Knight (Young’s & Geronimo Inns), Simon Xavier (The Restaurant Group), chef/restaurant consultant Jay Morjaria, and Keith Bird (former chief operating…

Casual Dining Restaurant & Pub Awards 2018: Winners announced

The nation’s best casual dining restaurants and pubs were revealed tonight at the Casual Dining Restaurant & Pub Awards 2018, which took place at the Marriott London Grosvenor Square, following the first day of the Casual Dining show. Living Ventures, wagamama, Bistrot Pierre, Brewhouse & Kitchen, Loungers, The Alchemist, Flat Iron, GBK, and The New World Trading Co (NWTC) were among the operators who took home awards. It was a memorable night for Living Ventures, which won three trophies including the newly introduced, and hotly-contested, Casual Dining Group of the Year Award.  Its opulent Grand Pacific venue, in Manchester, also…

Casual Dining 2018: Opening day video highlights

Here’s some video highlights from a fantastic first day at Casual Dining 2018.  We look forward to seeing you again tomorrow!

Casual Dining show back in London this week

Casual dining restaurant, pub and bar operators will be out in force at the Business Design Centre in London this week (21-22 February), checking out the latest new products and services on offer from over 200 exhibitors at Casual Dining 2018.

Innovation Challenge Awards 2018: Who will get your vote?

Buyers looking for the latest innovations will have plenty to keep them busy at Casual Dining 2018, with more new products to see, sample and demo than ever. The Innovation Challenge Awards Gallery — showcasing 50 of the best casual dining innovations of the year — is always a good starting point to see what’s new.  Here’s a preview of the products hoping to win innovation awards at the show: Visitors are encouraged to vote for their favourite innovations on opening day (from 10am on 21 February) – as they’ll be the ones to decide the final shortlist of exhibitors who’ll…

Casual Dining confirms Innovation Challenge contenders for 2018

Thousands of casual dining restaurant, pub and bar operators from across the UK will be in London next week, over 21-22 February – as Casual Dining returns to the Business Design Centre to showcase the best new products, solutions, insights, and innovations of the year. Its fifth anniversary show, featuring 200 exhibiting companies, is now its biggest in every respect – with a record number of entries confirmed for both its annual Innovation Challenge Awards and King of Craft Competition. Carlsberg UK, Coca-Cola Freestyle, Heineken UK, Schweppes, AAK Foodservice, Westlers, and Rational UK are among the dozens of manufacturers and…