Speciality Food September 2025

58 @specialityfood LIVE PITCHES FROM EMERGINGBRANDS Confirmed buyers include representatives from Selfridges, Ocado, and Booths, and an independent retailer panel featuring Stefano Cuomo of Macknade, Laura Roberts of Laura’s Larder, SamMorgan of Drapers Lane Deli, TomNewey of Cobbs Farm, Nicki Stewart of Diverse Find Food, and retail expert and former Superette store manager Greg Ivison, bringing together some of the most respected voices in the sector. Matt & Hannah Hopkins, founders of IND!E, say, “We’re thrilled to be back at the Speciality & Fine Food Fair in an even bigger way for 2025. Pitch CONNECTING WITHTHE FINE FOODCOMMUNITY New for this year’s event is The Village Square, a dedicated area in the heart of the Fair for networking, sampling and making valuable industry connections. In the world of food and drink and retail, connections are everything. Whether it’s discovering the next game-changing product, forming new distribution partnerships, or exchanging knowledge with like-minded professionals, face- to-face interaction remains a vital part of doing business. The Village Square has been created with this inmind: a central, vibrant space designed to foster meaningful conversations and open new doors. Across the two days of the event, this all-new feature will host a series of interactive and curated sessions, with industry leaders like Invest NI, Cotswold Fayre and Diverse Fine Food presenting a handpicked selection of brands. Appliance specialist Dualit will also host an exclusive session, bringing together retailers and fowodservice buyers to learn about its latest innovations. Earlier this year, Speciality Foodmagazine and Speciality & Fine Food Fair joined forces to spotlight exceptional regional producers from across the UK. This collaboration has led to a unique showcase within the Village Square, where visitors canmeet and sample frombusinesses such as Carmarthen Deli, Nunc Living, Busy Bees, Clandeboye, Radnor Preserves and SuffolkMeadow. It’s a rare opportunity to connect with the people behind the products, understand their stories, and form relationships that could shape future ranges or retail strategies. The Village Square is more than just a new feature, it’s a reflection of the Fair’s role as the home of fine food: a place where passionate producers, buyers, chefs and retailers come together to build lasting connections and grow their businesses. The Village Square ismore than just a new feature, it’s a reflection of the Fair’s role as the home of fine food: a place where passionate producers, buyers, chefs and retailers come together to build lasting connections and grow their businesses “Pitch Live at Speciality Fine Food Fair with IND!E is one of the standout events in our calendar for discovering emerging talent. It gives us a front-row seat to some of the most exciting new brands in food and drink, and a direct line to the founders behind them. The format is fast-paced, energetic, and full of potential, exactly the kind of environment that breeds retail success.” John Gill, head of marketing and trading at Booths, adds, “Booths are delighted to be involved in this year’s Pitch Live event at Speciality & Fine Food Fair. The event provides an amazing opportunity to meet new, innovative, upcoming food and drink brands. Booths are dedicated to seeking out the very best in food and drink, and we are really looking forward to seeing the quality that’s on show.” The format is fast- paced, energetic, and full of potential, exactly the kind of environment that breeds retail success Pitch Live, in partnership with IND!E, which sees emerging brands pitch their products live to panels of leading retailers, has expanded for 2025 and will have its own dedicated stage alongside the IND!E Pavilion. Live, which this year forms part of IND!E’s pavilion, has become one of the most exciting opportunities for challenger brands in the UK to get in front of serious retail buyers, and the energy in the room is always electric. Working with the team at the show to elevate small brands and bring fresh innovation to the market is a real privilege, and we can’t wait to see what this year’s line-up brings.” An Ocado spokesperson adds,