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Gama spoke to Federico Dellafiore, event manager, ahead of the latest edition of IFE, International Food & Drink Event.
What are your expectations for this edition of IFE?
We’re hugely looking forward to the 2025 edition of IFE! As always, the show will be packed with new-to-market products and inspiring opportunities to hear from leaders in food & drink. In addition to innovative brands from around the UK the show will also play host to producers from more than 45 countries including Greece, Italy, Vietnam, South Korea, Kenya, Poland and India.
This year’s event will see the return of the New Products Tasting Theatre, where visitors can hear from innovative food & drink brands as they demo and pitch live, and the ever-popular Startup Market, which is packed with exciting new-to-market companies and inspiring entrepreneurs.
Read this Tradeshow Look Ahead in the next issue of Gama News.
Amid ongoing cost-of-living pressures, how will food and drink brands be primed to succeed in 2025?
We’ve seen the cost-of-living crisis exert growing pressure on the hospitality sector, as consumers become more cautious about spending on dining out. However, this has prompted a rise in adventurous home cooking, with consumers seeking quality ingredients to elevate their at-home meals. For producers to thrive, it’s essential to deliver value without sacrificing quality. Highlighting sustainability, telling a compelling brand story, and offering exceptional products will resonate with consumers who are increasingly health-conscious and environmentally aware.
What other overarching trends do you expect to impact the UK food and drinks scene in 2025?
I think we’ll really start to see the impact of AI tools across the food system and supply chains in 2025, with huge potential for innovation in agriculture, nutrition, new product development, and much more. Consumers continue to be more and more adventurous and are passionately seeking out unfamiliar products and flavours. We’ve seen countless formally niche international foods become supermarket staples over the past few years, such as kimchi, gochujang, miso, and harissa, and that trend seemly unlikely to slow down.
About IFE
IFE is the UK’s largest and most successful product sourcing platform and takes place on 17th – 19th March 2025 at ExCeL London as part of Food, Drink & Hospitality Week. Brand owners and manufacturers can meet face-to-face with retailers, wholesalers, import/exporters, and hospitality professionals across the three days to showcase their products to buyers who are actively on the hunt for the latest innovations across food and drink.
