Speciality Food Magazine June 2024

22 @specialityfood T he time has come...to reveal our 25 Rising Stars of 2024. This project is a collaboration between Speciality FoodMagazine and Speciality & Fine Food Fair, to celebrate the event’s landmark 25th anniversary. InMay, we reached out to the artisan food and drink industry, asking those working within it to nominate the founders and leaders who they thought stood out from the crowd. Innovators who’ve carved out their own paths, defining a niche in their sector. Visionaries, who have driven change. And those who are working MEETOUR RISINGSTARS OF 2024 in a way that’s kinder to people and the planet. We recieved nominations for hundreds of candidates – all of themworthy, and with their own merit – but the 25 revealed across the following five pages are the ones whose stories really jumped out at our judging panel. Founders who have followed their hearts, done something different, and deliver great-tasting food and drink to the table. They will all be honoured during this September’s Speciality & Fine Food Fair at London Olympia. “We’re thrilled to finally be able to publish and share the names of our 25 Rising Stars,” says Charlotte Smith- Jarvis of Speciality FoodMagazine . “Whittling the entries down to just over two dozen was a mammoth task for our judges, because there were some incredible nominees. The process highlighted several things. Firstly, that the world of artisan food and drink never stands still. Something new, bold and exceptional is always around the corner. The creativity in this industry knows no bounds. “Secondly, there’s an enormous amount of passion, and incredible amount of work that goes into the sector. A celebration of 25 of the fine food and drink industry’s most exceptional founders “And, thirdly, ingenuity is everywhere. Some amazing businesses and ideas were generated during the pandemic. Businesses that have gone on not just to survive, but to thrive, injecting excitement and renewed vigour into multiple categories. “We hope you’ll join us at Speciality & Fine Food Fair this September to congratulate these brilliant food lovers and entrepreneurs.” "It's amazing to think that Speciality & Fine Food Fair is celebrating its 25th birthday this year,” says Nicola Woods, event manager at Montgomery Group. “The world of fine food and drink has changed so drastically in that time, with the explosion of innovative and delicious products mirroring the growing consumer appetite for new and diverse food and drink. "Over the past quarter century, Speciality & Fine Food Fair has been a platform for passionate entrepreneurs to get their start, network with the industry and grow their brand, and we're so excited to be celebrating 25 Rising Stars this year in partnership with Speciality FoodMagazine . "We'll be recognising these inspiring foodie founders at the fair, and to further celebrate our 25th anniversary we'll be introducing new features, tasting stations, networking opportunities and chances to hear about the latest industry trends. This year’s event will also see the launch of our 25th anniversary documentary, looking back at some of the highlights of the fair with our ambassadors and partners. We can't wait to welcome you and take a look ahead to the next 25 years of speciality food and drink. See you in September!" Whittling the entries down to just over two dozenwas amammoth task for our judges, because there were some incredible nominees....The creativity in this industry knows no bounds