Booker to hold Foodservice Trade Show at NEC on 23 September

Booker will host its seventh annual Foodservice Trade Show at the NEC, Birmingham, on 23 September.

The event will bring together customers, suppliers, partners and industry professionals to explore the latest menu trends, preview new product launches, and network.

Booker is set to showcase the full breadth of its foodservice portfolio on the show floor, and visitors will have the opportunity to meet Booker colleagues, including category, sales, and branch managers, as well as the team from the company’s drinks division, Venus Wine and Spirits Merchants.

The programme is designed to inspire and inform with previews of incoming new product ranges.

The Chef’s Station will share menu inspiration and sample dishes, with live cookery demonstrations by chefs focusing on the booming chicken trend.

The new Butcher’s Block Skills Hub will highlight Booker’s strength as the largest foodservice butcher in the UK with a spotlight on its butchery apprenticeship scheme. Teams will demonstrate how specialist cutting skills can take cost out of kitchens, bring fresh inspiration to menus, and ensure operators get the key ‘centre of plate’ offering for their business.

This year’s show also features a new outdoor street food zone, providing a dedicated space to relax, network, socialise, and sample Booker’s street food concepts.

The event will also feature a selection of exclusive on-trade branded beers, ciders, wines, spirits and no and low-alcohol drinks. Attendees can sample new lines in the Pub Garden zone, uncover emerging beverage trends in the drinks theatre, and embark on a tasting journey along the Booker’s World of Wine Sampling Trail.

There will also be a dedicated zone hosted by Venus to explore high-end portfolios tailored for bars, restaurants, hotels and pubs across the UK.

Meanwhile, the Christmas Zone will showcase seasonal foods, drinks, menu inspiration, accessories and essentials designed to ease kitchen pressures during peak trading, and build high-margin, crowd-pleasing Christmas menus.

Ahead of the event, Booker’s online Christmas Hub is already providing operators with information on the festive season, including menu inspiration, Christmas foodservice trends, drinks pairing guides and advice to help maximise festive trading.

Additionally, a large coffee zone will offer attendees a place to rest and recharge while enjoying latte art demonstrations from skilled baristas, coffee cupping sessions, and previews of new products for this sector.

Nev Irani, Booker foodservice managing director, says: “We are thrilled to be returning to the NEC Birmingham for a second year as we host our seventh annual Foodservice Trade Show.

“Whether it’s helping to reduce costs for kitchens through our Value Locked price-freeze promotions and on-the-day exclusives, tips and tricks from our master butchers, exploring exciting menu innovations, or securing top-tier value for the festive season, this show is built to inspire and support operators across the full foodservice sector.”