NI’s largest foodservice, hospitality and retail expo opens its doors!
Cooking Up New Business
IFEX, NI’s premier food, drink, hospitality and retail exhibition, opened its doors, welcoming thousands of trade visitors to the event on the first day.
Home to some of the country’s biggest food companies, manufacturers, distributors and artisan producers, the event, organised by 365 Events Ltd, runs until this Thursday, 26th February, and over 7,000 industry professionals are expected to attend over the three days.
From NI Chef of the Year, supported by The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and Food NI, the SCA Irish Cup Tasters Championship and the SERAC Ice Cocktail Competition, to artisan companies from across the Island exhibiting in the Great Taste Market, IFEX is the place where all of those in the food, drink and hospitality industries will be over the next few days. Live features also include the ever-popular Chef Skills Live Theatre, supported by Department for the Economy, showcasing top culinary talent in action, and the World Skills & Wild Food Arena, combining practical skills competitions with demonstrations focused on sustainability and alternative ingredients.
Chef, Niall McKenna MBE, officially opened the show and met some of the 20 plus exhibitors who are attending the event to generate new business and contacts. Niall praised the quality of local produce and the innovation on show and welcomed the large crowds on the first day of the event, “The foodservice and hospitality sectors are vitally important to our economy. To see the scale and energy on display today shows just how resilient and forward-looking the sector remains.
“IFEX brings the industry together under one roof, attracting visitors from every corner of the industry – from independent operators and multi-site groups to specialist suppliers and major distributors to discover new products and explore emerging trends. At a time when the industry continues to face skills shortages, events like IFEX play an important role in showcasing talent, inspiring the next generation and helping to strengthen the pipeline of skilled professionals. The level of engagement and business being done here highlights the real value of face-to-face trade events for driving growth and building long-term partnerships.”
Interest in IFEX 2026 has superseded all other years, with a sold-out show and record registration figures. There’s high expectations that IFEX will deliver new business for many companies in the food, hospitality and retail sectors in the months and years ahead.
IFEX opens at 10am daily and runs until Thursday 26th February at 4pm. The trade expo is free to attend and you can register at www.ifexexhibition.co.uk
