Read this Tradeshow Insight in the next issue of Gama News.
The London Food & Drink Festival debuted on 16th and 17th September 2026 at ExCeL London, establishing a unified platform for the UK food, beverage, hospitality, and retail sectors and bringing together five long-standing shows – The National Restaurant, Pub & Bar Show, Lunch!, Natural & Organic Food Show, London Drinks Exchange, and Artisan Food & Drink Show – under a single roof. Over two days, the festival welcomed nearly 11,00 trade visitors, representing a 26% increase in attendance compared to the same period the previous year.
Emblematic of an industry where boundaries between the retail, foodservice and hospitality sectors are increasingly blurred, the exhibition spanned a broad spectrum of categories, hosting more than 600 exhibitors showcasing thousands of new food, beverage, technology and equipment products. The scale of attendance was supported by senior buying representatives from major retail and hospitality businesses, including supermarket chains, food-to-go brands, pub groups and transport operators.
A central feature of the fundamental changes for 2026 was the introduction of the London Drinks Exchange, a new dedicated space within the festival focusing on the beverage sector with an expanded focus on the low- and non-alcoholic drinks market. Concurrently, the inclusion of the Natural & Organic Food Show and Artisan Food & Drink Show within the festival format expanded the event’s scope toward sustainable, ethical and healthy products. This shift mirrors broader market movements, including 4.2% growth in the UK organic market in 2025 to £3.9 billion ($5.2 billion).
The overall floor plan encompassed specialized product categories ranging from organic foods, plant-based alternatives, functional beverages and free-from items to coffee, specialty produce, ingredients, packaging solutions, and private label manufacturing. Specific dedicated areas included Vegan World, the Start Up Zone, Launchpad, and Innovation Challenge Galleries, which highlight early-stage brands and new-to-market launches from the preceding 12 months. Innovations across the show floor reflected wider industry shifts towards functional wellness, plant-based nutrition, better-for-you snacking, sustainable packaging and operational technology.
Alongside the exhibition floor, the festival presented an extensive seminar schedule comprising over 200 speakers across eight distinct stages. The educational program was divided into sector-specific theatres, including the Coffee Shop Stage, Food-to-Go Stage, Retail & Convenience Stage, Pub & Bar Stage, Casual Dining Stage, Restaurateur Stag, and Natural & Organic Food Stage. Additions to the feature schedule included the CHEF LIVE Stage, which hosted culinary demonstrations and technical presentations. Across the various stages, panel discussions and individual presentations covered operational strategy, marketing, development trends, sustainability, and market outlooks across retail and hospitality.
The London Food & Drink Festival will return for its second edition in 2027 on 22nd and 23rd September.
Image source: The London Food & Drink Festival
