More than £4.3 million in orders placed at Country Range annual exhibition

CRG chief executive Martin Ward (centre) with members of the group’s team in Belfast.

More than £4.3 million in orders was placed with over 100 foodservice exhibitors at Country Range Group’s annual trade exhibition and conference, held recently in Belfast.

Run for over 25 years, the event forms a key part of CRG’s calendar and took place outside mainland UK for the first time since its creation, with Belfast’s ICC and Titanic Museum Belfast playing host to the two-part event.

The main theme of the event, which attracted 500 delegates, was ‘Focused on Foodservice’. Both large and small suppliers showcased more than 1,000 products specifically for chefs and caterers across the foodservice spectrum, with a host of live demonstrations, on-trend ingredients and samples from around the world.

The Country Range stand featured a chef’s table experience inspired by the grandeur of the Titanic and provided a backdrop for the group to present the latest own-brand products.

The focus of the stand was the finale of the Signature by Country Range competition. This initiative invited every member wholesaler to contribute their own signature recipe, and Caramelised Apple Crumble Pizza from Joseph Oliver of Creed Foodservice was crowned Signature Champion. Meanwhile, the Winter Wonderland display captured the magic of the approaching festive season, showcasing the group-supported Christmas 2025 product range.

At the conference, CRG’s chief executive Martin Ward updated delegates on the scale of the group, which is now serving more than 44,000 customers a month with over 250,000 deliveries. Ward also reiterated the group’s ambition to achieve £1.5 billion turnover by 2028.

Furthermore, he provided a progress report on the launch of the Authenticate platform, which is delivering improved operational efficiencies and enhanced supply chain visibility for CRG members.

He also spoke about Country Range’s position as headline sponsor for the 2025/2026 Springboard FutureChef competition, building on the success of the Country Range Student Chef Challenge to support emerging culinary talent.

In a difference to previous years, conference attendees were provided with a market update by TWC’s Tanya Pepin, a member panel discussing the Future of Foodservice, and a Belfast-focused panel including Northern Irish politician Micky Murray, Belfast hospitality operator Michael Stewart, and Northern Irish chef and writer Paula McIntyre MBE.

The venue for this year’s ‘An Evening with CRG’ member and supplier awards evening was also announced – the event will take place at the National Portrait Gallery in London on 11 December.

After the exhibition and conference, guests were treated to an evening of entertainment at the Titanic Belfast, where a charity raffle raised over £7,000 for The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation and the Mines Advisory Group. All of the surplus stock and samples from the day were donated to FareShare to be distributed to local frontline charities and community groups.

Ward commented: “This year’s event in Belfast has been nothing short of spectacular. From the incredible energy on the exhibition floor to the insightful panels and dazzling gala dinner, it was a truly unforgettable occasion. The enthusiasm and innovation on display show just how bright the future of foodservice is – and we’re proud to be right at the heart of it.”