Tradeshow Insight: IFE 2026

The International Food & Drink Event (IFE), the latest edition of which took place on the 30th March to 1st April 2026 at ExCeL London, serves as one of the largest trade shows for the food and beverage industry in the UK. As a central component of the broader Food, Drink & Hospitality Week – a collective of five co-located events including IFE Manufacturing, HRC, The Pub Show, Hospitality Tech360 and International Salon Culinaire – the show occupied 32,000 sq m of exhibition space. The 2026 outing, titled “Feeding the Future”, featured more than 1,500 global suppliers representing 105 nations and attracted over 25,000 trade professionals. Data indicates that 82% of attendees held direct purchasing authority, with representation from major retailers and wholesalers such as Tesco, Waitrose and Marks & Spencer.

A defining feature of this year’s show was its heavy international presence, with 60% of exhibitors travelling from overseas. Large national pavilions were hosted by Italy, Turkey, Brazil, and Vietnam. Notably, the event featured a prominent dedicated National Pavilion for Uzbekistan under the “Made in Uzbekistan” brand, showcasing approximately 30 companies. Representation from Africa was also visible, with significant participation from South Africa, Morocco and Algeria. To facilitate navigation, the floor was organised into 13 distinct sectors, including dedicated zones for Manufacturing, Ingredients, a Start-Up Market, and a Business Growth Hub. Other pavilions focused on Speciality Food, Fresh Produce, Grocery & Wholesale, Chilled & Frozen Foods, and Health, Organic & Natural products, alongside dedicated areas for Plant-based & Vegan offerings, Bakery, Snacks & Confectionery, and Drinks.

Innovation was heavily influenced by shifting consumer health priorities, particularly the emerging impact of GLP-1 medications on product development. This trend has led to a rise in “considered consumption”, where brands are reformulating products to be more nutrient-dense and fibre-rich, often in portion-controlled formats. Functional nutrition also extended into mental wellness through nootropic-infused beverages containing ashwagandha and lion’s mane. Other technical breakthroughs in the beverage sector included molecular hydrogen-infused water and vitamin-enriched functional matcha teas designed to support gut health.

Regional flavour trends were led by the “Levantine Wave”, with profiles from Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey influencing various categories, exemplified by modernised versions of traditional products like semolina-based Mamoul biscuits. Niche innovations featured bio sodas from Mexico containing microorganisms and the creative application of dates in formats such as sparkling date-based mead, soft drinks, and dates filled with sunflower spreads. Snacking innovations included flavoured crispy seaweed, crunchy mango jam made using the skin of the fruit, and instant yoghurt probiotic powder mixes.

Sustainability remained a core structural pillar, with a focus on carbon transparency. Many exhibitors displayed verified Scope 3 emission data on packaging to satisfy retailer environmental, social, and governance mandates. Upcycling also matured as a trend, visible in products like spreads using chia seeds as a natural alternative to pectin. In the ingredients sector, advancements included the development of cultured dairy fat by firms such as Accellta Ltd, designed to enhance the realism of plant-based alternatives.

The newly introduced FoodTech section for 2026 focused on the application of artificial intelligence and robotics in kitchen automation and supply chain management. Technical achievements were recognised through the IFE Manufacturing Ingredients Awards, which highlighted breakthroughs such as high-bioavailability Vitamin C formulations from Biovit. General market observations noted a continued shift toward protein-forward products, including high-protein and fibre-rich snacks.

The next edition of IFE is scheduled to take from 5^th-7^th April 2027.

*Gama was proud to be a media partner of IFE 2026 and we look forward to our ongoing collaboration.*

Image source: Gama