SCOTTISH Food & Drink will be showcased to major UK buyers in a new event known as Showcasing Scotland UK.
The event, delivered by Scotland Food & Drink on behalf of the Scotland Food & Drink Partnership, will bring together 80 Scottish producers for a series of intense speed-dating style sales meetings with 80 influential UK buyers from retail, wholesale, food service, and hospitality.
The event will take place on Wednesday 14 May at the Doubletree Hilton in Glasgow, with a dinner for attendees to network and meet buyers informally the night before.
Showcasing Scotland UK is part of a family of Showcasing Scotland events led by Scotland Food & Drink that opens doors to unparalleled commercial opportunities for food and drink buyers and Scottish suppliers at home, in the UK, and on a global scale.
Scotland Food & Drink identifies a £1bn growth opportunity for Scottish producers in UK markets within its national strategy, Sustaining Scotland, Supplying the World.
The Showcasing Scotland UK event aims to help businesses take advantage of that growth opportunity by offering Scottish suppliers a range of commercial opportunities on a national scale by bringing sellers and buyers together to do business.
A wide range of key decision-makers will be in attendance, from specialist retail groups and food halls to major supermarkets, caterers, and hoteliers, to online operators and national wholesalers.
Stephanie Pritchard, head of customer relations and markets at Scotland Food & Drink, said: “Showcasing Scotland UK builds on the huge commercial success over the last 10 years of connecting buyers and suppliers through curated meeting events, that have generated millions of pounds in new deals for businesses.
“This new UK-focused event represents an incredible opportunity for Scottish producers and UK buyers alike.
“It’s a progressive step towards realising our ambition to sell more Scottish food and drink and build our sales footprint in UK markets.
“Insights from our strategic market intelligence service, The Knowledge Bank, routinely finds that Scottish products can command a premium, and Scottish brands are synonymous with quality throughout the UK.
“The event on the 14 May is the first in a series of Showcasing events that provide opportunities for buyers and suppliers of all sizes and achievable routes, to market some of the best products available anywhere in the world.”
All sectors of Scotland’s food and drink scene will be represented, with SALSA and BRC-accredited businesses invited to apply to attend.
Showcasing Scotland UK is the first event in a new “showcasing” series which will be complemented by several Showcasing Scotland Local events being held across the country between January and April this year.
This event is building on the success of the global event which took place in March 2024, by evolving the offering to create an engaging event for UK buyers that Scotland Food & Drink works with and partnering them with suppliers looking to expand their reach in this market.
