Support surges for industry supershow
The organisers of Casual Dining, Commercial Kitchen and lunch! have announced that visitor registration is now open. The three shows will run alongside one another this year for a comprehensive hospitality supershow, taking place on 27-28 September 2023 at ExCeL London.
“There’s no denying it’s been a tough year for everyone in the hospitality industry,” says the shows’ Group Event Director, Chris Brazier. “So, as the sector begins to reopen its doors, we’re incredibly excited to be preparing to welcome our visitors back in person this autumn for three fantastic shows, two unmissable days, one extraordinary event and countless opportunities for business and innovation.”
Casual Dining, the UK’s only dedicated pub, bar and restaurant show (and two-time winner of the AEO’s Best UK Trade Show Award), returns with 200+ exhibitors including AAK Foodservice, Arla Pro, Ascentia, Coca-Cola European Partners, Diageo, Harri, McCain Foodservice Solutions, Molson Coors, Moving Mountains, Peka Kroef, Tevalis and Yumpingo.
Commercial Kitchen, the essential event for kitchen innovations, will be making its much-anticipated London debut where, as Warren Geraghty of Tom Kerridge stated, “it will be bigger, better and more important than ever.” The show, which works closely with lead partner ceda and partner FCSI, boasts 100 exhibitors including Adande, Hupfer, Lincat, Meiko, Regale Microwaves, Synergy Grill, True Refrigeration, UNOX and Valentine.
lunch! – three times winner of Best UK Trade Show and now in its 14th year – remains the definitive event for cafes, coffee shops and food-to-go. Its 300+ exhibitors will include Around Noon, Delice de France, Deli Lites, Hippeas, Innocent, Magrini, NOBL, Proper, Rapid Action Packaging, Rombouts, Soho Sandwich Co., UCC Coffee and Wholegood.
A new industry supershow
Last year, the shows’ organisers, Diversified Communications UK, made the decision to co-locate the three shows as a response to the overwhelming industry desire to get back to business in 2021. And the response to the decision has been equally overwhelming, with Tim Foster of Yummy Pub Co. instructing his online community: “If you’ve not put this date in your diary – DO IT. I’ve taken more innovation and inspiration away from these three shows than anything else in the past 10 years.”
Stands at all three shows have sold rapidly and the organisers have seen many return exhibitors increasing their stand size by as much as double. The shows are also looking forward to welcoming a host of notable players who are signing up for the very first time, such as Aver London, Bio & Me, Cadbury, Capital Cooling, Catra, Eat Real Snacks, Ferrero, Gimber, HiP, Inox Fabrications, Itsu Grocery, Karakuri, Nespresso Professional, Norbake Services, Pro Foodservice Reps, The Vurger Co, Total QSR, Treasury Wine Estates, Twinings, Unilever Food Solutions, Unrooted Drinks and Vegetarian Butcher.
With the three shows co-located at ExCeL London, the event offers a remarkable space for the industry to gather – making it a one-stop-shop for visitors looking for innovation and inspiration for this critical year ahead. Duncan McEwan, Executive Development Chef at The Big Table Group called the show “the most important catalyst [this] year, bringing ideas and people together, making our industry as strong as ever!”
While the co-location has received great industry support, the three shows remain distinct and each offers its own free seminar programmes and business initiatives including Innovation Challenges and lunch!’s Start Up Zone.
