LONDON, UK – Thousands of food-to-go operators, food retailers, café and coffee shop owners and buyers, leisure and travel caterers, are heading to London for lunch! this week. Doors open today at ExCeL (10am, 19 September) with 7,000 attendees expected over two days.
Among them will be some of the biggest buyers in the business, with nearly a third of pre-registered visitors citing a corporate spend in excess of £1m (16% report £10m-plus budgets).
The compelling line-up that awaits them includes 62 speakers appearing in 36 Keynote Theatre sessions, plus a record 400 exhibitors – showcasing everything from ingredients to kitchen equipment and counter displays, from food and drink to packaging, payment solutions and business services.
7,000 attendees
The show’s pre-registered visitor list already includes Tesco, Subway, Sainsbury’s, Greggs, M&S Food, KFC, Boots, Costa Coffee, Waitrose, Pret A Manger, Ocado, Aldi, Lidl, Co-op, WHSmith, Holland & Barrett, John Lewis, Caffè Nero, Coffee#1, Harris + Hoole, Aroma, AMT Coffee, Puccino’s, Wild Bean Café, Welcome Break, Roadchef, itsu, Crussh, Spar, Tree of Life, SSP Group (Upper Crust, Le Grand Comptoir and Caffè Ritazza), Eurostar, Booker, Aramark, Compass Group, WSH Group/BaxterStorey, Sodexo, and Elior. Plus, thousands of other multiple and independent cafés, coffee shops, sandwich shops, tea rooms, bakeries, delis, contract and travel caterers, quick service restaurants, distributors, wholesalers, venues, attractions, and universities from across the UK.
“With food on the move growing all the time, it’s important to see what’s new and on offer. lunch! is a great event to do that and meet industry leaders, start-ups, disruptors and those bringing new and exciting products to the market,” says Jim Wealands, group food development director at CH&CO Group.
“It’s got a lot of stuff all happening under one roof so there’s something for everyone – lunch! is a hubbub of activity and inspiration,” says Paul Hopper, founder and co-MD of HOP Vietnamese.
