Food focus Farm Shop & Deli is the food and drink event no business can afford to miss From confectionery to cocktails, and from shortbread to sauces, the Farm Shop & Deli Show is the must-attend event for retailers seeking to whet the appetites of their customers. Taking place at the NEC Birmingham from 13-15 April, 2026, the show offers the best-quality local and regional produce alongside exciting, innovative and inspirational food and nonfood gift ideas. Helping businesses flourish Visitors can meet suppliers and manufacturers face-to-face while sampling the latest in food and drink and exploring services and equipment that will help their businesses flourish. Among the gifting products on show will be confectionery, pickles and relishes, biscuits, pies, spirits, teas, perfumes and even boardgames. Competitions held at the show will give attendees the opportunity to see the very best of British food, drink and retail. Judging for the popular Britain’s Best Loaf and Britain’s Best Cake contests will take place live, while the winners of the Farm Shop & Deli Retailer Awards will be announced at the show. Visitors will also be able to meet many of the people behind the winning goods in the Farm Shop & Deli Product Awards. A packed programme Once again, the Farm Shop & Deli Show will feature a packed programme of insightful panels and expert speakers on the topics and trends driving the food and drink industry. Here are just a few examples of sessions taking place this year: • Building a team to thrive: Leading specialist retailers explore how cultivating a positive, inclusive and purpose-driven workplace can directly impact customer experience, employee retention and business performance. • Fortnum & Mason – Expanding across the UK: Fortnum & Mason CEO Tom Athron talks about plans for the luxury retailer as it aims to become more relevant all-year round to British foodies. • Navigating the challenges facing UK specialist retail: Industry leaders explore the challenges impacting specialist retailers and how businesses can adapt, innovate, and thrive in a landscape that demands both resilience and reinvention. • Generating footfall at no extra cost: Key steps retailers can take to increase footfall and revenue to their stores, with testimonials from farm shops that have already achieved this. To ensure visitors make the most of their visit, an online digital event companion will offer a comprehensive event guide, interactive floorplan, seamless indoor navigation and real-time notifications. Farm Shop & Deli Show is taking place alongside three other major food and drink industry trade shows, giving visitors the chance to explore the full breadth of this dynamic market: • Food & Drink Expo is the destination for discovering fresh ideas, forging connections and gaining insights into the future of food. It attracts key foodservice buyers as well as decision makers from retail and wholesale grocery operations. • National Convenience Show is the biggest event for the convenience retailing sector and is a one-stop destination for c-store specific products, services and innovations to help boost footfall, increase basket spend and gain a competitive edge. • Forecourt Show is the must-attend event for sourcing products, fresh ideas and smart solutions to future-proof your business, whether you are part of a symbol group, an independent forecourt, fuel company or dealer. Around 1,200 businesses will be exhibiting across the four shows, and more than 25,000 visitors are expected to attend the event to sample the latest in food and drink innovations and explore services and equipment that will help their businesses flourish. UK Food & Drink Shows is organised by market-leading business information provider William Reed. Covering industries ranging from food and drink to pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, William Reed publishes digital and print media, including The Grocer, and organises prestigious awards, business events and conferences. “We are excited to once again welcome exhibitors and visitors to the UK Food & Drink Shows and share with them what makes this industry so vibrant and innovative,” said Dan Dixon, managing director of exhibitions, William Reed. To find out more and register for free tickets, visit their website farmshopanddelishow.co.uk IN BRIEF: WHO: Farm Shop & Deli, www.farmshopanddelishow.co.uk WHERE: NEC, Birmingham WHEN: 13-15 April, 2026 25 FARM SHOP & DELI
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