Membership has so much to offer.
Membership it gives you access to a whole range of events and activities designed to help you create sustainable growth for your business. To make sure you don’t miss out we have pulled together a comprehensive calendar of events all in one place.
To register for any of the following events, simply email us at events@foodanddrink.scot or get in touch with your business development manager. We also have a range of packages including early bird discounts and reduced prices for members. Some of the following events may be re-scheduled so please do sign up for our fortnightly e-newsletter which will give you the most up-to-date information.
If you’re not yet a member, get in touch to find out more.
April
Sourcing Scotland Regional Events
South West & Tayside
Date: South West (April) & Tayside (tbc)
Sourcing Scotland is designed to grow sales of Scottish produce by bringing together buyers and suppliers to do business across the retail, hospitality and independent sectors. Our regional events are a series of smaller, more intimate events targeting local and regional opportunities . We will run these in partnership with our Regional Food Groups and you will have the chance to showcase your products and grow your business.
May
Meet the Buyer – Brakes
Glasgow
Date: 17th May
Brakes invented modern food wholesaling and provides the highest quality fresh and frozen food and ingredients to some of the nation’s most famous pubs and Michelin-starred restaurants, as well as schools, caterers, care homes and hospitals servicing more than 8,000 customers across Scotland.
Brakes are interested in seeing products that are new and innovative as well as businesses that have the capability to produce products bespoke to foodservice.
Leadership Dinners & Lunches
Scotland-wide
Date: May
These are a great opportunity for you to hear about the current challenges and opportunities facing the industry. These events, hosted by our leadership team, are relaxed and conducted in an atmosphere of informality to keep the conversation flowing.
Meet the Buyer – Asda
Date – June
Local sourcing in Scotland has been a priority for Asda since the supermarket retailer opened its first store here more than 50 years ago. Today, it is the cornerstone of their business. Asda is launching more than 140 new products this year and is looking to expand this range further.
Working in partnership with Asda, we will be bringing new meet the buyer events that align with their strategic ambition for innovation in key categories.
Imbibe Trade show London
Date: 3 – 4 July
Taking place at Olympia London, this is a key event for anyone who produces or supplies drinks in the UK. If you are looking to amplify your distinct brand and story, gain market share and grow your business by meeting the right buyers, distributors and influencers, then exhibiting at the Scotland Food & Drink stand could be the catalyst you need.
Meet the Wholesaler Event
Run in partnership with the Scottish Wholesalers Association
Date: August
An opportunity for producers that have engaged with the Delivering Growth Through Wholesale programme to meet a variety of Scottish wholesale businesses and apply the learning they have gained.
Excellence Awards
Edinburgh International Conference Centre
Date: Thursday 7 September
Celebrating the best of Scotland’s exceptional food and drink scene, The Excellence Awards shine a light on the incredible businesses that call this unique country their home.
Underpinned by people, passion, and perseverance, it is an opportunity to toast to our industry’s fantastic achievements of the past year, whilst looking to the future and supporting the next wave of innovation and creativity.
With new categories to enter, and the chance to get your product under the noses of our expert judging panel, the Awards are not to be missed.
To enter an award and book your seat or table for the event, visit https://excellenceawards.foodanddrink.scot/
Speciality and Fine Food Fair Trade Show
London Olympia
Date: 11 & 12 September
The UK’s leading showcase of Artisan food and drink. Speciality & Fine Food Fair attracts an exceptional audience of food and drink buyers looking to source the latest in speciality, artisan and high-quality food and drink.
We will have a dedicated Scottish pavilion, so if your target customers are independent retailers, food halls, restaurants, hotels, and farm shops, then exhibiting here should serve up significant opportunities.
Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight
Date: 2-16 September
Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight takes place every September and is the perfect platform for our industry to showcase our incredible produce and the passionate people behind it.
The Fortnight is an opportunity for food and drink enthusiasts, retailers, hospitality businesses, regional food groups, ambassadors and producers to champion our vibrant and innovative sector.
We’ll be sharing how you can get involved in the Summer. To find out more visit fooddrinkfort.scot
London Learning Journeys & Showcase
Date: September
London presents a huge opportunity for Scotland but understanding the best routes to market, the dynamics, consumer and shopper behaviour and future trends is critical. We will be taking groups of Scottish food and drink businesses on fact-finding missions to meet specialists in retail, foodservice and drinks channels, who have the latest insights and first-hand experience of navigating these markets and maximising returns.
We will be hosting a Scottish-themed networking lunch and exhibition at London’s Scotland House to showcase and introduce Scottish business and produce to a range of chefs, buyers, distributors and influencers. This new programme will offer a unique platform to promote and share our outstanding quality, provenance, welfare and sustainability credentials to a new audience in the lucrative London market.
New Bidfood Direct Scottish Shop
September
Bidfood Scotland is a leading wholesale supplier to the catering and hospitality market, providing quality food and drink to hotels, restaurants, cafes, as well as to care homes, healthcare, and education customers across the county. Working with more than 100 Scottish suppliers, ranging from artisan producers to globally recognised brands, Bidfood Scotland is proud to supply over 700 local food and drink products. Sales of Scottish produce is growing and there is ambition to support this growth further.
A new Bidfood Online Scottish Showcase in partnership with Scotland Food & Drink will promote the abundance of Scotland’s food and drink larder to Bidfood’s valued foodservice customers, both in Scotland and the wider UK market. This exciting collaboration will offer new and existing suppliers a unique opportunity to promote their products to chefs, caterers and buyers and reach the online shopping basket of thousands of Bidfood’s loyal customers.
Scottish Convenience Retail Exhibition
Date: 12th October
Join our Scottish producer exhibition at the SGF conference and get your product in front of key decision makers from key convenience retail groups and inspiring independent retailers
Bidfood Meet the Buyer
With the exciting launch in September of the brand new Bidfood Online Scottish Showcase in partnership with Scotland Food & Drink (listed above), we will be working together on Meet the Buyer opportunities to find innovative new suppliers to expand the local range even further.
Leadership Dinners & Lunches
Scotland-wide
Date: November
These are a great opportunity for you to hear about the current challenges and opportunities facing the industry. These events, hosted by our leadership team, are relaxed and conducted in an atmosphere of informality to keep the conversation flowing.
2024
Biofach Trade Show
Date: 13-16 February 2024
Venue: Nürnberg, Germany
50,000 trade visitors from 136 countries: this is the leading international gathering of the organic sector under one roof.
The Scotland Food & Drink pavilion will allow Scottish businesses to showcase their products to a range of international businesses, and at the Biofach congress attendees can learn about developments and innovative approaches in the organic market.
Showcasing Scotland (can this be made a feature page/dedicated page for this)
Date: March
Showcasing Scotland is Scotland's flagship international trade event, offering Scottish suppliers an unparalleled opportunity to engage with UK and international food and drink buyers from across the globe.
Showcasing Scotland 2024 will offer 3 days of carefully curated events, which will showcase the very best of Scotland’s produce, help to build new trade relationships and secure future business. We’ll be taking buyers on tours across the country, showing them the journey from field to fork and celebrating our world class production processes. From here, you’ll have the chance to take part in one-to-one business meetings with these buyers, as well as group networking sessions.
In 2019, this world-class event saw over 2,000 one-to-one meetings and business visits from buyers. The result? Over £60m of new sales in key markets.
Showcasing Scotland is the key trade opportunity for every sector in the food and drink industry, offering a commercial opportunity like no other.
Throughout the year, look out for...
Graduate Placements
For over 10 years, we have had graduate secondees inside the regional procurement teams of some of the UK’s largest retail and foodservice businesses, helping to unlock new opportunities and support the development and growth of Scottish food and drink suppliers. We will be looking to place further talented individuals with customers as we expand our focus on UK markets and the opportunities that lie ahead.
Meet the Buyer Opportunities
Our programme of Meet the Buyer events take place throughout the year with retailers, wholesalers and foodservice. Highly popular, these events highlight new commercial opportunities and present a chance for you to pitch to buyers from across the UK to secure new business and grow your sales.
Meet the Buyer may include a briefing to gain market insight and first-hand knowledge from the buyer and hear about opportunities relevant to your business.
Trade Shows
We will be making plans to maintain and expand our significant Scottish presence at some of the key trade shows throughout 2023 and 2024. This includes the International Food & Drink Event, Imbibe Live, Speciality Fine Foods Trade Show and the Food and Drink Expo in Birmingham, all of which will attract high quality buyers from numerous sectors.
The Knowledge Bank Reports & Events
The Knowledge Bank bring insights from across the Scotland Food & Drink Partnership together, turning insights into commercial opportunities. Reports and events throughout the year help you gain insight into consumer trends and shopper behaviour, utilise intelligence on markets, sectors and product categories and find out more about topics such as health & wellness and sustainability.
Visit https://theknowledgebank.scot/ to find out more.
April
Sourcing Scotland Regional Events
South West & Tayside
Date: South West (April) & Tayside (tbc)
Sourcing Scotland is designed to grow sales of Scottish produce by bringing together buyers and suppliers to do business across the retail, hospitality and independent sectors. Our regional events are a series of smaller, more intimate events targeting local and regional opportunities . We will run these in partnership with our Regional Food Groups and you will have the chance to showcase your products and grow your business.
May
Meet the Buyer – Brakes
Glasgow
Date: 17th May
Brakes invented modern food wholesaling and provides the highest quality fresh and frozen food and ingredients to some of the nation’s most famous pubs and Michelin-starred restaurants, as well as schools, caterers, care homes and hospitals servicing more than 8,000 customers across Scotland.
Brakes are interested in seeing products that are new and innovative as well as businesses that have the capability to produce products bespoke to foodservice.
Leadership Dinners & Lunches
Scotland-wide
Date: May
These are a great opportunity for you to hear about the current challenges and opportunities facing the industry. These events, hosted by our leadership team, are relaxed and conducted in an atmosphere of informality to keep the conversation flowing.
Meet the Buyer – Asda
Date – June
Local sourcing in Scotland has been a priority for Asda since the supermarket retailer opened its first store here more than 50 years ago. Today, it is the cornerstone of their business. Asda is launching more than 140 new products this year and is looking to expand this range further.
Working in partnership with Asda, we will be bringing new meet the buyer events that align with their strategic ambition for innovation in key categories.
Imbibe Trade show London
Date: 3 – 4 July
Taking place at Olympia London, this is a key event for anyone who produces or supplies drinks in the UK. If you are looking to amplify your distinct brand and story, gain market share and grow your business by meeting the right buyers, distributors and influencers, then exhibiting at the Scotland Food & Drink stand could be the catalyst you need.
Meet the Wholesaler Event
Run in partnership with the Scottish Wholesalers Association
Date: August
An opportunity for producers that have engaged with the Delivering Growth Through Wholesale programme to meet a variety of Scottish wholesale businesses and apply the learning they have gained.
Excellence Awards
Edinburgh International Conference Centre
Date: Thursday 7 September
Celebrating the best of Scotland’s exceptional food and drink scene, The Excellence Awards shine a light on the incredible businesses that call this unique country their home.
Underpinned by people, passion, and perseverance, it is an opportunity to toast to our industry’s fantastic achievements of the past year, whilst looking to the future and supporting the next wave of innovation and creativity.
With new categories to enter, and the chance to get your product under the noses of our expert judging panel, the Awards are not to be missed.
To enter an award and book your seat or table for the event, visit https://excellenceawards.foodanddrink.scot/
Speciality and Fine Food Fair Trade Show
London Olympia
Date: 11 & 12 September
The UK’s leading showcase of Artisan food and drink. Speciality & Fine Food Fair attracts an exceptional audience of food and drink buyers looking to source the latest in speciality, artisan and high-quality food and drink.
We will have a dedicated Scottish pavilion, so if your target customers are independent retailers, food halls, restaurants, hotels, and farm shops, then exhibiting here should serve up significant opportunities.
Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight
Date: 2-16 September
Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight takes place every September and is the perfect platform for our industry to showcase our incredible produce and the passionate people behind it.
The Fortnight is an opportunity for food and drink enthusiasts, retailers, hospitality businesses, regional food groups, ambassadors and producers to champion our vibrant and innovative sector.
We’ll be sharing how you can get involved in the Summer. To find out more visit fooddrinkfort.scot
London Learning Journeys & Showcase
Date: September
London presents a huge opportunity for Scotland but understanding the best routes to market, the dynamics, consumer and shopper behaviour and future trends is critical. We will be taking groups of Scottish food and drink businesses on fact-finding missions to meet specialists in retail, foodservice and drinks channels, who have the latest insights and first-hand experience of navigating these markets and maximising returns.
We will be hosting a Scottish-themed networking lunch and exhibition at London’s Scotland House to showcase and introduce Scottish business and produce to a range of chefs, buyers, distributors and influencers. This new programme will offer a unique platform to promote and share our outstanding quality, provenance, welfare and sustainability credentials to a new audience in the lucrative London market.
New Bidfood Direct Scottish Shop
September
Bidfood Scotland is a leading wholesale supplier to the catering and hospitality market, providing quality food and drink to hotels, restaurants, cafes, as well as to care homes, healthcare, and education customers across the county. Working with more than 100 Scottish suppliers, ranging from artisan producers to globally recognised brands, Bidfood Scotland is proud to supply over 700 local food and drink products. Sales of Scottish produce is growing and there is ambition to support this growth further.
A new Bidfood Online Scottish Showcase in partnership with Scotland Food & Drink will promote the abundance of Scotland’s food and drink larder to Bidfood’s valued foodservice customers, both in Scotland and the wider UK market. This exciting collaboration will offer new and existing suppliers a unique opportunity to promote their products to chefs, caterers and buyers and reach the online shopping basket of thousands of Bidfood’s loyal customers.
Scottish Convenience Retail Exhibition
Date: 12th October
Join our Scottish producer exhibition at the SGF conference and get your product in front of key decision makers from key convenience retail groups and inspiring independent retailers
Bidfood Meet the Buyer
With the exciting launch in September of the brand new Bidfood Online Scottish Showcase in partnership with Scotland Food & Drink (listed above), we will be working together on Meet the Buyer opportunities to find innovative new suppliers to expand the local range even further.
Leadership Dinners & Lunches
Scotland-wide
Date: November
These are a great opportunity for you to hear about the current challenges and opportunities facing the industry. These events, hosted by our leadership team, are relaxed and conducted in an atmosphere of informality to keep the conversation flowing.
2024
Biofach Trade Show
Date: 13-16 February 2024
Venue: Nürnberg, Germany
50,000 trade visitors from 136 countries: this is the leading international gathering of the organic sector under one roof.
The Scotland Food & Drink pavilion will allow Scottish businesses to showcase their products to a range of international businesses, and at the Biofach congress attendees can learn about developments and innovative approaches in the organic market.
Showcasing Scotland (can this be made a feature page/dedicated page for this)
Date: March
Showcasing Scotland is Scotland's flagship international trade event, offering Scottish suppliers an unparalleled opportunity to engage with UK and international food and drink buyers from across the globe.
Showcasing Scotland 2024 will offer 3 days of carefully curated events, which will showcase the very best of Scotland’s produce, help to build new trade relationships and secure future business. We’ll be taking buyers on tours across the country, showing them the journey from field to fork and celebrating our world class production processes. From here, you’ll have the chance to take part in one-to-one business meetings with these buyers, as well as group networking sessions.
In 2019, this world-class event saw over 2,000 one-to-one meetings and business visits from buyers. The result? Over £60m of new sales in key markets.
Showcasing Scotland is the key trade opportunity for every sector in the food and drink industry, offering a commercial opportunity like no other.
Throughout the year, look out for...
Graduate Placements
For over 10 years, we have had graduate secondees inside the regional procurement teams of some of the UK’s largest retail and foodservice businesses, helping to unlock new opportunities and support the development and growth of Scottish food and drink suppliers. We will be looking to place further talented individuals with customers as we expand our focus on UK markets and the opportunities that lie ahead.
Meet the Buyer Opportunities
Our programme of Meet the Buyer events take place throughout the year with retailers, wholesalers and foodservice. Highly popular, these events highlight new commercial opportunities and present a chance for you to pitch to buyers from across the UK to secure new business and grow your sales.
Meet the Buyer may include a briefing to gain market insight and first-hand knowledge from the buyer and hear about opportunities relevant to your business.
Trade Shows
We will be making plans to maintain and expand our significant Scottish presence at some of the key trade shows throughout 2023 and 2024. This includes the International Food & Drink Event, Imbibe Live, Speciality Fine Foods Trade Show and the Food and Drink Expo in Birmingham, all of which will attract high quality buyers from numerous sectors.
The Knowledge Bank Reports & Events
The Knowledge Bank bring insights from across the Scotland Food & Drink Partnership together, turning insights into commercial opportunities. Reports and events throughout the year help you gain insight into consumer trends and shopper behaviour, utilise intelligence on markets, sectors and product categories and find out more about topics such as health & wellness and sustainability.
Visit https://theknowledgebank.scot/ to find out more.
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