Leon, Starbucks & EAT. to host Keynotes at lunch! 2014

Henry Dimbleby, co-founder of Leon and a founding director of the Sustainable Restaurant Association, Steve Flanagan, UK marketing and category director at Starbucks, and Sarah Doyle, brand director at EAT. are just three of the big name Keynote speakers already confirmed to appear at this year’s lunch! trade show, which returns to the Business Design Centre in London on 23-24 September.

Martin Hambleton, head of procurement & innovation at En Route International, will also be adding lunch! speaker duties to his impressive resume (he has held senior buying positions at Elior UK, EAT. and DO&CO).  As a buyer, Hambleton has been a keen supporter of lunch! for years, calling it “the best trade show a buyer can attend”.  As a speaker, his ‘Buying Masterclass’ looks set to prove just as essential.

Running throughout the two day show, lunch!’s free business seminars are renowned for attracting a host of high-profile brands and industry leaders from across the food to go retailing and contract catering industry.  With past speakers including representatives from Pret, YO! Sushi, Subway, M&S Foods, Caffè Nero, AMT Coffee and the Compass Group UK & Ireland.

Creating an appetite for change

“We all like to think we're open to new ideas and like to experiment, but then we seem to eat the same sandwich from the same place most days,” says EAT.’s brand director Sarah Doyle, speaking ahead of her 11am opening day Keynote (Tuesday 23 September).

Given that many people’s eating habits can be firmly ingrained, the first step for lunchtime retailers looking to boost their customer base is “not scaring them off before they've walked through the door”.

Drawing on over 18 years of experience as a marketer in the food industry, working on FMCG brands such as Hula Hoops, Typhoo Tea and Quorn, and overseeing EAT.’s recent brand revamp, Doyle will divulge strategies on how retailers can maximise their sales by persuading these “creatures of habit” to change their routines.

Independent and thriving

The Working lunch! Theatre (sponsored by Magrini) will also include sessions by entrepreneur Tim Hall, creator of healthy fast-food brand Pod, and Richard Garcia, founder and owner of Cook & Garcia.

Discussing ‘How to become the best independent sandwich shop in the UK’ is a bold undertaking for any operator.  But if anyone’s in a position to give advice, it’s Garcia – winner of ‘Best independent Sandwich Bar in the UK’ for two years running at the BSA’s Sammies Awards (2013 and 2014).  Since its launch in May 2012, Richmond-based Cook & Garcia (co-founded with his wife Janet Cook) has not only taken the British sandwich industry by storm but made it on to the prestigious ‘Start Ups Top 100’ list (it moved in to the top 45 this year).

With over 25 years’ experience as a chef, Garcia will be sharing some of the key lessons he’s learned along the way, with a focus on how to compete and thrive as an independent on a high street full of the global brands.

'”lunch! is a fantastic show for trade each year – and a key source of inspiration to us at Cook & Garcia,” says Janet Garcia, director of Cook & Garcia.  “At last year’s show we met two new suppliers that are now key to our business.  We are looking forward to attending again this year.”

Fresh market insights

Other new sessions announced today include ‘Lunch as we knew it… A post-recession review of the lunch market,’ hosted by Emma Read, director of marketing and business development for foodservice analyst Horizons.

This essential market update will give an overview of established and upcoming trends in the vibrant food-to-go sector, and look ahead to what’s likely to happen to the market now that the UK is out of recession.

“Street food is just one example of how operators are responding to the rising demand for sustainable, healthy, hand-held food,” says Read.  “Providing innovative solutions to meet consumers’ demand for flavoursome, innovative, authentic on-the-go dishes.”

She’ll also be using the Horizons’ latest data to review how the upcoming allergen regulations, which come into force in December, are likely to impact lunch menus.

The full Working lunch! Theatre line-up is set to be unveiled early next month.

Returning to the Business Design Centre in London on 23-24 September, the multi-award winning lunch! show will feature 300 exhibiting companies showcasing a wealth of new food and drink products, packaging, equipment and technologies.  Show features include the Working lunch! Keynote Theatre, Innovation Challenge Live, Innovation Challenge Showcase, and the British Smoothie Championships.

To register for a free trade pass, please visit http://www.eventdata.co.uk/Visitor/Lunch.aspx?TrackingCode=PR.

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Media enquiries & press pass requests to:
Emma-Louise Jones, PR Manager

Editorial representatives of relevant trade and consumer media (including freelancers) are invited to apply for press passes to lunch! via email to ejones@divcom.co.uk (please note, additional details may be requested to verify journalistic activity and all press passes are issued at the management’s discretion).

t: 44 (0)1273 645134                  
Website:              www.divcom.co.uk 
LinkedIn:            www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=5009585 
Twitter:               www.twitter.com/DiversifiedUK 
Facebook:           www.facebook.com/DiversifiedUK

Exhibitor enquiries to: 
Chris Brazier, Group Event Manager 
t: 44 (0)1273 645123                 e: cbrazier@divcom.co.uk 
Website:              www.lunchshow.co.uk 
LinkedIn:            www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=3143327 
Twitter:               www.twitter.com/lunchexhibition 
Facebook:           www.facebook.com/pages/lunch/106355532742317

Notes:

Awards:
lunch! won Best Trade Show at the Exhibition News Awards in February 2014.
It was shortlisted for ‘Best UK Tradeshow Exhibition over 2,000sq.m’ and ‘‘Best Marketing Campaign of the Year’ by the Association of Event Organisers in its annual AEO Excellence Awards in July 2014.
lunch! won Best Marketing Campaign of the Year in 2012 and was named Best UK Trade Show Exhibition under 2,000sqm for two years running in 2010 and 2011 at the AEO Excellence Awards.

High res images are available on request.

Diversified Communications UK (Diversified UK) is a fast growing trade event organiser and publisher based in Brighton, Peterborough, Leamington Spa, and Nailsworth, Glos.  In addition to lunch!, Diversified UK’s portfolio includes Casual Dining; Natural Food Show at Natural & Organic Products Europe; Natural and Organic Awards; Nordic Organic Food Fair in Malmö, Sweden (co-located with Natural Products Scandinavia); camexpo; Natural Products magazine; Natural Beauty Yearbook; office*; Ocean Business (including Offshore Survey Conference & Ocean Careers); OceanBuzz; MARELEC Marine Electromagnetics conference (in Philadelphia, USA); SITS – The Service Desk & IT Support Show; ServiceDesk360; Euro Bus Expo; Coach and Bus Live; Best of Britain & Ireland; The Route One Operator Excellence Awards; The National Coach Tourism Awards; Route One magazine; and Coach Monthly.  For more information, visit: www.divcom.co.uk.

Diversified UK is part of Diversified Communications, a leading international media company providing market access, education and information through global, national and regional face-to-face events, eMedia, publications and television stations.  Diversified serves a number of industries including: seafood, food service, natural and organic, healthcare, commercial marine, and business management.  Based in Portland, Maine, USA, Diversified employs over 800 staff, with divisions in the Eastern United States, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Thailand and the United Kingdom.  For more information, visit: www.divcom.com

Separations charge: Please email all offers to the show’s marketing manager at graceallwright@divcom.co.uk.  Please do not phone. 

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