Exhibition News February 2020 | Page 25

Sector Focus UK EVENTS A small selection of the food and drink events taking place across the UK: Street Food Live » Dates: 7-8 September 2020 » Venue: ExCeL London » About: Organised by Prysm Media Group, Street Food Live (and it’s concurrent events) are ‘dedicated to showcasing the latest new products and services’ within the food and drinks sector. » Genre: Food and Drink » Chief marketing officer for Prysm, Laura San Segundo: “We are different from any other event in the world. We are at the forefront of the industry, trusted by industry professionals…We listen to the industry, we listen to our exhibitors, but most importantly to us, we listen to our visitors.” Bellavita » Dates: 2020 dates TBC » Venue: Business Design Centre Islington » About: Organised by Quiris Media, Bellavita is a dedicated Italian food and drink trade show. » Genre: Food and drink » Bellavita MD Aldo Mazzocco: “Our mission is to always promote the Mediterranean diet and all Mediterranean products – the food is our flagship sector, and we always try to combine the wine with the food and promote the terroir.” Vegan Life Live: » Dates: 14-15 March 2020 » Venue: Alexandra Palace » About: Organised by Vegan Vegan backlash The growing demand for healthy, sustainable and ethical food by vegans and vegetarians could find its way into the mainstream consumption. More and more consumers are asking more questions about their food and where it is from. We could see more retailers sell ingredients which permit a more natural, plant-based diet based around organic whole foods, making this more accessible to the masses. Zero waste and innovative packaging Plastic-free and zero waste will continue to be a focus in 2020 with customers looking to leave as small a mark on the planet as possible. More consumers food free from packaging and there is expected to be a significant rise in refill packs and strong support for recycled packaging. Cannabidiol (CBD) CBD or Cannabidiol is the latest trendy ingredient to take the food world by storm. Products made with hemp- derived ingredients like hemp flour, seeds, oil and protein powder have been around for years and have set the scene for the rise of CBD. Europe is by far the largest hemp growing region after EU member states lifted the ban in the late 1990s. New product development using CBD includes categories like tea, honey, supplements and sweets. Personalised nutrition (PN) There’s a strong move in the market towards personalised nutrition or people building food plans with specific dietary requirements. PN recognises that each one of us is different and therefore requires different products that support deficiencies or varying lifestyles. Edible beauty One of the biggest trends in the natural health sector is edible beauty – dietary supplements, nutrition and foods for anti-aging, skin health, and beauty. Market research predicts that in 2020 the ‘digestible beauty product’ market will reach £5.7bn (Global Industry Analysts Inc). Fast(er) food Consumers want wholesome meals with minimal effort. Many people today feel time-poor. longer hours The average time people spend preparing dinner at home shrank from an hour in 1980 to 24 minutes today. These habits boost demand for high-quality convenient meals. Some businesses now sell gourmet freezer meals and vegan ready meals, others produce recipe boxes filled with all the necessary ingredients to cook at home. February — 25