It’s over for another year and what a gourmet celebration. Speciality & Fine Food Fair 2016 has come to a fantastic conclusion – but the exciting journey continues for the hundreds of speciality food and drink producers who were part of the 17th artisan trade showcase.
Thousands of buyers have passed through the doors, serving up a feast of new opportunities for producers, which included Bam, Ten Acre, Skinny Dipping Dips, Chase Distillery, TreeVitalise, Tyga, Spice Kitchen, Taking the Pea, Cuppanut, Tigg’s, Halen Mon, Sekforde Drinks, Chief Chocolate Officer, Soda Folk, Burts Chips, La Chiva, Graze, Mr Organic, Ozerlat, Fravocado and Sibling.
A high calibre of visitors were delighted and wooed by the tastes and aromas that filled Olympia in London, during the three-day artisan extravaganza; as well as the wonderful stories behind the producers and their mouth watering creations.
Trends and trending
For the second consecutive year, Speciality & Fine Food Fair was trending on social media – as new trends and products, and old friendships and acquaintances were savoured and celebrated in cyber space! Smoked sugars, seaweed snacks, raw dips, milk vodkas, vitality jams, coconut teas, gourmet cheeses, Turkish coffee, beauty drinks, bug protein bars, and ‘Free From Plus’ hand cooked crisps and popcorn were amongst the gourmet gems that had the world chattering. Exceeding expectations
Speciality & Fine Food Fair, which incorporates Speciality Chocolate Fair, has been connecting the very best fine food and drink producers from the UK and around the globe, with buyers, caterers, wholesalers and manufacturers for 17 years. This year was no exception as thousands of high quality visitors thronged the aisles – including buyers from Waitrose and Selfridges, restaurants and hotels, as well as over 350 delis and 250 farm shops. As a result, hundreds of producers have already signed up for Speciality & Fine Food Fair, and Speciality Chocolate Fair, in 2017.
For Graham Johnston, from Smoky Brae – creators of a range of smoked products from Scotland – it was his first Fair and he has said that it had completely exceeded his expectations. “It was our first ever trade show – and we will definitely be back. It has opened so many doors to new businesses, retailers, distributors, producers – and the reaction to our products has been amazing.”.
What we saw
As well as food glorious food, visitors were treated to a host of live demonstrations at Fine Food Live and Speciality Chocolate Live. Presenters included wine expert Jane Parkinson and Chefs Cherish Finden and Peter Sidwell. There was also a zone dedicated to Great Taste 2016 – organised by The Guild of Fine Food – which included a tasting of Supreme Champion, Hannan Meats, from Northern Ireland, who won with their Glenarm Shorthorn 4 Rib Roast.
Chocolatier Philippe Wall unveiled his centrepiece, a stunning Chocolate Throne, in Speciality Chocolate Fair, while advice was handed out at the Small Business Forum. Experts included Co- Founder of New Covent Garden Soup John Stapleton, and media nutritionist Christine Bailey.
Join us next year – in London and Asia
Speciality & Fine Food Fair 2017 will take place at Olympia on September 3rd – 5th. If you can’t wait until then, Fresh Montgomery have launched a new speciality food spectacular in Asia. Speciality & Fine Food Asia and Speciality Chocolate Asia will take place in Singapore on July 18th – 20th 2017.
SPECIALITY & FINE FOOD FAIR
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