News

The state of the UK food and drink sector and what’s to come…

By Bethan Grylls

- Last updated on GMT

Stay ahead of the curve with our upcoming trends webinar. Credit: Getty/Nuthawut Somsuk
Stay ahead of the curve with our upcoming trends webinar. Credit: Getty/Nuthawut Somsuk
On 19 October, Food Manufacture will see three experts looking at the trends of today and tomorrow, as they report on the state of Britain's food and drink industry and its future outlook.

The last few years have seen the industry on rocky ground, as though we were Jenga blocks, with each event causing another foundation to be plucked from beneath our feet.  

As such, the industry has had to be nimble on its toes, as change has and continues to ripple through everything from sourcing and supply, to processing techniques, to new production development and consumer behaviour.

Our upcoming webinar​, streaming on 19 October at 3pm (UK time), will be examining the state of the manufacturing industry, including exclusive new insights from Aptean’s 2023 Food and Beverage Industry Trends Report. The experts will assess what and how drivers are influencing trends, alongside investment in technology and business priorities now and in the future. 

During the free, online session we’ll hear from Clive Black, vice chairman, head of consumer research at Shore Capital; Adam Cohen, marketing manager for flavour house I.T.S; and tech expert Joris Kolff, value creation leader for food and beverage at Aptean.  

In his exclusive presentation, Black will provide a macro view of some of the major moving parts in the modern British food system.

“Geopolitics and the pandemic, along with more volatile weather patterns is causing food security to emerge as a key food policy matter,”​ he told Food Manufacture. “Such processes alongside the evolving domestic labour process and higher energy costs have also meant food affordability has grown in status.”

Black will highlight the importance of such affordability in the welfare of low-income families, while also looking at what he describes as “the deficiencies of much alternative protein and plant-based products”.

Beyond these key attributes of the food system – availability and affordability – larger themes remain conditioning factors of the food system, Black noted. Areas such as animal welfare, health and well-being, and sustainable farming and food systems will also be discussed.

Cohen’s presentation, meanwhile, will take attendees on a journey through trends in the food and drink industry. Starting with the wider market, he'll share insights right down to the very flavours that you will need to be taking note of to stay on trend.

Finally, Kolff will reveal highlights from Aptean’s highly anticipated industry research report, exploring current market challenges and the outlook for food and beverage businesses in the UK.

He will discuss how technology is enabling business transformation, from process automation to the impact of data analytics, and how this can help businesses to achieve their goals in 2024 and beyond.

Don’t miss this free opportunity to get ahead of the game and make informed decisions for next year. Register today for our trends webinar​, which will be available to watch on 19 October and following the stream, at your leisure on-demand.

Related news

Show more

Follow us

Featured Jobs

View more

Webinars

Food Manufacture Podcast

Listen to the Food Manufacture podcast