Speciality & Fine Food Fair, the UK's leading showcase of artisanal food & drink, returned to Olympia London on 10-11 September to celebrate its 25th anniversary with an extravaganza of inspiring producers and insightful conversations. 

Farm shops, delis, independent retailers, specialty wholesalers, leading supermarket multiples, hospitality professionals and more descended on the Fair to discover the latest innovations and new products in artisan food & drink and to network with industry peers. 

Multi-award-winning broadcaster Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall joined Emma Mosey, Chair of the Farm Retail Association onstage for an in-depth discussion around the power of local food, and commented: "We want not just great food but food with a great story, we’re better nourished by food when we know its story. Everyone at Speciality & Fine Food Fair has come to tell the story of their food."

Fearnley-Whittingstall also joined the Farm Retail Association for an event unveiling the organisation's exciting new rebrand, marking the start of a significant period of growth and evolution for the brand. 

Speciality & Fine Food Fair once again collaborated with IND!E to provide a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for one food brand and one drinks brand to secure an online listing with Ocado. Four startup drinks producers and four startup food producers pitched their product live to a panel of senior buyers from Ocado to be in with a chance to earn the listing and take their business to the next level. 

Tess Reed, Founder, All Dressed UP Dressings and winner of Food Pitch Live, said: "We had a great couple of days at Speciality & Fine Food Fair! The Start Up Village had such a buzzing atmosphere, and you feel really connected to other brands sharing the same journey. The quality of buyers was fantastic, ranging from brilliant farm shops and delis to bigger retailers.

"Having the opportunity to take part in Pitch Live was a great experience, and really good fun! I wasn't sure what to expect given it was our first time exhibiting - but it was a really well organised event, with great energy and we're looking forward to hopefully returning in the future!"

At the Speciality & Fine Food Fair Awards, innovative new products and inspiring independent retailers were celebrated, with Low Sizergh Barn and The Cheese Lady receiving gongs for their commitment to their communities and to showcasing the very best of artisan food & drink, while Vhari Russell of the Food Marketing Experts and charity Creating Nature's Corridors was surprised with an award for Outstanding Contribution to the Industry. 

She commented: “I’m in shock! I’m chuffed to bits. I love the industry I work in and love making a difference, you don’t do it for the accolades, but this is really lovely!”

City Harvest, a long-standing charity partner to the Fair, presented the team with a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion of the 25th anniversary. Each year producers exhibiting at the Fair donate any leftover food & drink to the charity to distribute to charities around London, with the 2024 edition seeing 1.4 tonnes of food donated, equating to 3,521 meals delivered and 3.6 tonnes of GHG emissions prevented through rescuing the food for human consumption. 

Free food, delivered by City Harvest to its community partners, brings more than nutritious value to Londoners in need: it frees up budgets for other social investments to support and enrich the lives and well-being of those most in need

Here are just some of the comments from visiting buyers on this year's very special 25th anniversary edition:

Steve Matthews, Partner & Branded Innovation Coordinator, Waitrose and Partners

"Thoroughly enjoyed attending Speciality & Fine Food Fair 2024, it was great to see so many new and growing brands and to meet their founders and find out about their products. Waitrose is always on the lookout for new and exciting products to delight our customers and as part of our newly formed Branded Innovation team - it was a great opportunity to engage with suppliers and understand their products journey from conception to listings in stores."

Rhiannon & Kit Agnew, Owners, Litcham Deli & Rudham Deli   

"Our first time visiting Speciality & Fine Food Fair, and what a year to do so, 25th anniversary year was certainly fully packed. We met some fantastic people, truly passionate about their products, knowledgeable and with incredible talent. We are excited at the prospect of stocking some new and unique products in our delis, as well as supporting true artisan producers, truly the best of the best. We’ll certainly be back next year!"

Samantha Morgan, Director, Drapers Lane Delicatessen

"This is my fourth year of attending Speciality & Fine Food Fair, and it just gets better and better. As a specialist retailer the show is one not to miss, an exceptional curation of producers who are all passionate about what they do and the products they have to offer, you can guarantee you will find something new for your deli shelves."

Kate Todd, Founder, Near-By

"This year’s Fair proved to me once again why it’s a must-not-miss event. It’s by far the easiest and most enjoyable way to meet the most on-trend artisan British producers around at the moment."

Paul Donoughue, Owner, Green & Lovely

"Speciality & Fine Food Fair has become a firm date for our diaries and it is considered essential to the success of our business. It’s here we get to scope out exciting new products and the producers behind them, to catch up with existing suppliers to see what they are up to and to see what new plans we can hatch.

"We also love attending the various talks as there are always new things to learn and hear about. This year, especially with the anniversary, there was a real buzz in the hall and we came away with plenty to follow-up on."

Daniel Smith, Managing Director, Barbury Hill

"We enjoyed every moment, engaged in meaningful conversations, and found ourselves truly inspired. Speciality & Fine Food Fair plays a crucial role in shaping our winter and Christmas collections."

Tom Newey, Director, Cobbs Farm Shop

"It was a fantastic to kick Autumn off with another couple of days at Speciality & Fine Food Fair. Taking time out the business to feel inspired by passionate producers and catch up with friends and colleagues, old and new, is good for the soul!"

Bryony Taylor-Edwards, Head of Marketing & Buying Manager, Yarnton Home & Garden

"It was my first visit to Speciality & Fine Food Fair and it was absolutely brilliant. I discovered some fantastic new brands. I also enjoyed the buzzy atmosphere and its handy location. I placed lots of orders which we are excited to receive."

Sarah Horsnell, Head of Own Brand, Jarrolds

"I was really struck by the high level of innovation at this year’s Speciality & Fine Food Fair.  So many suppliers are pushing boundaries in their categories to create exciting, forward thinking product ranges that will delight their customers. I will be following up with a long list of suppliers this year."

Andrew Levy, Founder & Director, Ateliers Verts    

"We find Speciality & Fine Food Fair invaluable and a must-attend food fair to meet up with our existing clients and to find new clients who fulfil our eco-conscious and high-end criteria in the food & drink sector."