Gift Focus - Jul/Aug 2019 (Issue 114)

15 NEWS & EVENTS On with the show SUCCESSFUL YEAR FOR FARM SHOP & DELI SHOW In April, the NEC Birmingham once again hosted the Farm Shop & Deli Show, which ran alongside The Ingredients Show, National Convenience Show and The Forecourt Show. Across three days, visitors met passionate producers, discovered the latest industry trends and celebrated award-winners at this specialist retailer event. The exhibition hall saw leading delicatessens, farm shops, restaurants, garden centres, food halls, butcheries and bakeries in attendance. For the second year, the show announced record attendance. Many exhibitors have already confirmed their spots for 2020 and the show looks forward to continuing to grow. The focus on sustainability was a highlight from this year’s show. With the huge consumer awareness around plastics, sustainability and climate change, smaller companies and start-up brands are in a strong position to act. There were insightful sessions across Farm Shop & Deli Show Live and The Ingredients Show Education Theatre on the topic, and on the show floor the team from Two Farmers impressed visitors with a hand-cooked crisp brand packaged in 100 per cent compostable bags. These take 26 weeks to compost in a home composter and only 12 weeks in an industrial facility. Gluten-free brands also made a strong showing at the event, with better looking and tasting products than ever to respond to consumer demand. The show highlighted many gluten-free snacks that looked every bit as good on the shelves as traditional products, such as Mummy Meagz vegan rocky road, KIND snack bars and Middleton Foods’ gluten- free mixes. The show reported that where “clean eating” was little discussed this year, this is a sign that it has passed from being a fad to being a consumer expectation. Brands put forward products with simple ingredients lists and a lower sugar content in a demonstration of how far the industry has come. Low- and no-alcohol beverages were also prominent in the show. There is a real trend towards lower-alcohol products, including no-alcohol brands like Seedlip and Beer Brew Co., the world’s first brewery to specialist in beers brewed between 0.5 per cent and 2.8 per cent ABV. Celebrating the best in business, the Farm Shop & Deli Awards 2019 took place at the heart of the show, with 12 category and nine regional winners announced. Cannon Hall Farm Shop in Barnsley scooped the overall Retailers of the Year 2019 accolade. Exhibitor Chris Morgan, business development manager for Fentimans Ltd, said: “We have had some great engaging customers who are genuinely interested in our flavours of tonics and soft drinks. We have also been approached by some of the higher-profile retailers who have been here for the retail show. There are some fabulous brands at the show, and I would definitely recommend the show to any business or brand that wants to showcase any new products within the farm shop/garden centres or delis to obtain new distribution.” The Show returns 30 th March–1 st April, 2020, at the same location, co-located with The National Convenience Show, Food & Drink Expo, Foodex and The Ingredients Show. The five shows will bring together 1,700 suppliers, representing a huge array of companies and technologies within the UK’s food and drink industry. We bring you trade show dates and updates DIARY DATES Home & Gift Buyer’s Festival When: 14 th –17 th July, 2019 Where: Harrogate Convention Centre, Website: homeandgift.co.uk Manchester Furniture Show When: 14 th –16 h July, 2019 Where: Manchester Central Convention Centre, Manchester Website: manchesterfurnitureshow.com NY NOW When: 11 th –14 th August, 2019 Where: Javits Centre, New York Website: nynow.com Formex When: 20 th –23 rd August, 2019 Where: Stockholmsmassan, Sweden Website: formex.se NY NOW When: 11 th –14 th August, 2019 Where: Javits Centre, New York Website: nynow.com Speciality & Fine Food Fair When: 1 st –3 rd September, 2019 Where: Olympia London Website: specialityandfinefoodfairs.co.uk IJL When: 1 st –3 rd September, 2019 Where: Olympia, London Website: jewellerylondon.com Autumn Fair When: 1 st –4 th September, 2019 Where: The NEC, Birmingham Website: autumnfair.com Top Drawer Autumn & Pulse When: 8 th –10 th September, 2019 Where: Olympia London Website: topdrawer.co.uk HOMI Outdoor & HOMI Fashion&Jewels When: 13 th –16 th September, 2019 Where: Fiera Milano, Milan Website: homimilano.com 