Casual Dining expands its menu, with a record 220 exhibitors for 2019
An unprecedented 220 exhibiting companies – from the biggest to the newest names serving the UK’s restaurants, pubs and bars, are preparing to showcase 1000s of innovations at Casual Dining, when it opens at ExCeL London on 27-28 February.
The only dedicated event for the sector, Casual Dining’s 5,000+ attendees will be able to see and sample more on-trend products and services than ever before – from ingredients to food and drink, from smart kitchen kit and front of house, to payment solutions and catering tech.
Event manager Eva Ellis explains: “Casual Dining has proved itself year after year to be an essential visit to see what’s new and compare the latest products from leading and emerging suppliers.
“Now for 2019, at its new home of ExCeL London, it’ll showcase its biggest and most eclectic exhibitor line-up yet. Around one in three are new to the show, including big names like Scotland Food & Drink (who are hosting a new pavilion), Diageo, Honest Drinks by Coca-Cola European Partners, Hellman’s, Deloitte, and Epson UK.
“Then there’s 100+ returning exhibitors adding their latest NPD: Reynolds, Lamb Weston/Meijer, Nestlé Professional, Kraft Heinz Foodservice, McCain Foodservice, Harri, Schweppes, UCC Coffee UK & Ireland, Fentimans, 3S POS, Ascentia FSE, JJ Food Service, Arla PRO, Yumpingo, The FoodFellas, AAK Foodservice, Pidy, and Panasonic, for example.
“Plus, we’ve also expanded multiple product categories this year – so look out for more plant-based alternatives, meat, fish, ingredients, desserts, coffee, alcohol, soft drinks, foodservice software and apps.
“Everything that casual dining operators need to run their businesses successfully will be on show at Casual Dining. That’s why the biggest, most influential buyers and decision makers in the business annually attend, and that’s why they say: it’s unmissable.”
“Casual Dining unites our industry in a truly powerful way – I am sure it will continue to be unmissable as it moves to ExCeL in 2019,” says Zoe Bowley, managing director UK & Ireland at PizzaExpress.
The show’s pre-registered visitor list, to date, includes key decision makers from AccorHotels UK & Ireland, Admiral Taverns, Aramark, Azzurri Group, BaxterStorey, Be At One, Bourne Leisure Group, Brewhouse and Kitchen, Carluccio’s, Casual Dining Group, Center Parcs, Daniel Thwaites, Domino’s Pizza Group, Ei Group, Elior UK, Fuller’s, Glendola Leisure, Greene King, Hall & Woodhouse, Hollywood Bowl Group, ISS Facility Services, Jamie Oliver Restaurant, Las Iguanas, Mitchells & Butlers, PizzaExpress, Pizza Hut Restaurants UK, Prezzo, Punch Taverns, Revolution Bars Group, Roadchef, Sodexo, Star Pubs & Bars, TGI Fridays UK, The New World Trading Company, The Restaurant Group, Tortilla, wagamama, Warner Leisure Hotels, and Whitbread, among many others.
New venue, new trends
Visitors can now view the show’s initial exhibitor list at www.casualdiningshow.co.uk/exhibitor-list.
Among the exhibitor highlights are: Quorn Foods, LoveSeitan, Moving Mountains and Rude Health for plant-based meat and dairy alternatives. M&M Walshe Group, Sino International, Izico Food Solutions, Loughnane’s, Pacific West Foods and Sea Products International for meat and fish products (Reynolds will also be launching its new fishmonger and butcher brands – Shoal and Carnivore, at the show). Futura Foods UK, Eurilait, and Bradbury & Son for specialty cheeses. Mademoiselle Desserts UK, Yee Kwan, Silver Pail Dairy, Joe Delucci’s, NIC, Aulds Delicious Desserts, FWIP, and Vittles Food for gourmet ice cream or desserts.
Some of the world’s best-selling beer and cider brands are also now confirmed, including Heineken UK – Blade, Carlsberg UK, and Molson Coors (whose portfolio includes Carling, Coors Light, Staropramen, Cobra, Grolsch, Doom Bar, Worthington’s, Caffrey’s, Singha, Rekorderlig and Aspall); plus Glebe Farm Foods, Brasserie METEOR, Black Storm Brewery, Kraft Beer UK, Celtic Marches, Jubel Beer, Big Drop Brewing Co, Wild Beer Co, West Berkshire Brewery, and Big Hug Brewing.
Low and no alcohol brands are also on the rise, with the additions of Sea Arch by Not Gin, Lucent Drinks, Real Kombucha and LA Brewery.
While MCS Technical Products, Pizza Equipment, Meiko UK, The American BBQ Company, QCR Recycling Equipment, Nelson Catering, Craftis, Colour Heroes, Keeko Kids, B-Loony, MyWipe, Harfield Components, Eden Furniture, Jenpak, Kobas Technologies, Bookatable By Michelin, ApicBase, S4Labour, and The London Linen Group are just some of the other returning exhibitors listed.
Free keynotes
Casual Dining’s stellar Keynote line-up already includes: Jon Knight, CEO, Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group; Jens Hofma, CEO of Pizza Hut Restaurants UK; Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality; Nisha Katona, founder & CEO of Mowgli Street Food; Simon Potts, MD of The Alchemist Bars & Restaurants; David McDowall, CEO of Retail at Brewdog. Plus (soon to be announced) speakers from wagamama, Dishoom, PizzaExpress, Revolution Bars Group, Las Iguanas, Fuller’s, Young’s Pubs, and Yummy Pub Co. There will also be headline Keynote interviews featuring Mark Jones, CEO of Carluccio’s, and Steve Richards, CEO of Casual Dining Group (both talking to CGA’s Peter Martin).
Free advance trade registration
Casual Dining will take place at the new venue of ExCeL London on 27-28 February 2019. Entry to the show’s two Keynote Theatres (sponsored by Yumpingo) is free with advance visitor registration.
“Casual Dining is the unmissable event for our sector and the decision to move to ExCeL is incredibly exciting,” says Jo Fleet, MD of Flat Iron.
“There’s a reason I’ve been every year and will continue to do so…I love Casual Dining! It’s the essential date in the calendar and I’m looking forward to ExCeL!” says Brian Keeley-Whiting, MD of Whiting & Hammond.
For further information and to register for a free trade ticket, please visit www.casualdiningshow.co.uk.