Improve your productivity and profit with the latest food processing innovations at Foodex 2014

04 March 2014

Foodex 2014, the UK’s premier trade event for the food and drink industry, is returning in 2014 to offer a one-stop shop for food processing professionals across the full industry spectrum including bakery, beverage, dairy, fresh, ingredients, logistics, meat and seafood sectors.

Run over three days (24-26 March 2014) at the NEC, Birmingham, the show will shine a light on the top trends currently making an impact and highlighting the latest food processing equipment to make an impression on the industry.

For example, Purehold (stand T388) will launch its ‘Pure Hold Hygiene Handle’ at Foodex. The new British invention is a revolutionary new door handle that automatically sanitises the user’s hands as they pull open the door. It contains highly effective virucidal gel and independent laboratory and customer swab testing confirms that the handle is able to effectively clean users hands.

“The Pure Hold Hygiene Handle is a novel and effective way of confronting staff and visitors with the need for clean hands,” said Matt Roberts, Pure Hold Ltd. “Unlike static wall-mounted dispensers which people can miss or forget to use, the Pure Hold Hygiene Handle forces people to clean their hands, raising awareness and compliance.”

Also on display at Foodex 2014, Rational on stand M321 will be putting its new SelfCookingCenter whiteefficiency through its paces. Expert chefs will show visitors how the the company’s combi steamer can cook everything from grilled food to baked produce and overnight roasted meats – all at the touch of a button. Visitors to the stand will also get a chance to taste the food to experience the superior cooking quality offered.

Revealing a first for the industry, Inspiron (stand P341) is set to launch its new Wide Edge Leading Labeller (INS-WEL90) at Foodex 2014, capable of applying self-adhesive labels Top, C-Form or Full Wrap, with either fixed information or variable data for Catch Weight applications.

The WEL machine can run at speeds of up to 120 packs per minute with high level placement accuracy on all types of formed trays. Due to the flexibliity of this sytem using self-adhesive labels the INS-WEL90 can also apply shaped labels to irregular shaped products such as meat joints, whole birds or pizzas.

Finally, visitors are also invited by Stephan UK Ltd to visit stand J349 and join Mr Joannes Hor, Confectionary Technologist from the business HQ in Germany as he demonstrates the production of flavoured chocolate fillings using the universal batch machine – the UMC5. Demonstrations are set to take place across the three days with flavours such as plum and cinnamon, pina colada and mint chocolate available for sampling.

Sustainability at Foodex 2014
With recognition of the latest key trends and shifts, Foodex will also be providing insight on how to reduce waste and improve energy efficiency, expected to be one of the top industry trends for 2014.

As part of Foodex’s ongoing commitment to the sector, the 2014 event will host a new ‘Sustainability Zone’ for the latest innovations to help improve waste, energy efficiency, environmental management and steps on how to reduce your carbon footprint.

The Sustainability Zone will offer advice for the whole industry, with involvement from trade associations like the Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Trade Association (ADBA) and sessions from key industry experts like Richard Gueterbock, Managing Director for Clearfleau who will speak on ‘How to change waste into energy’.

Engage with your peers at Foodex 2014
New to the 2014 Foodex exhibition, visitors can make the most of their time at the show by connecting with Foodex Engage. The online platform enables visitors to plan each day of the show with search capabilities organised by product and company. Using the service, visitors can connect with exhibitors, pre-arrange onsite meetings and search for seminars and add favourites straight into the diary. For those visitors booking more than five meetings at the show, Foodex Engage also offers a VIP service to help including fast track registration and access to a Foodex Engage Lounge.

An extensive programme of master classes on the industry’s hottest topics
Once again, Foodex features an extensive series of talks hosted by some of the industry’s most respected experts. Discussions at this year’s show include An Overview of Renewable Energy in the Food and Drink Industry, a panel forum on Innovation to increase low and non-zero soft drinks and a presentation on the Food Information to Consumers Regulation.

Other talks at the show include A Mixologists’ journey to the Promised Land with Maria Cabrera, Head of Innovation, Juicevibe, Uren Food Group Ltd; Collaborating Across the Supply Chain with Keith Newton, CILT and SCALA Consulting; and Vegan Cakes 101 with Mellissa Morgan.

Making Foodex more rewarding for the industry
Also new to 2014, an advisory committee has been set up to work with the Foodex team to help create a bigger, better and more rewarding exhibition for the industry.

Mark Bishop, Joint Managing Director for Interfood Technologies and one of the founding members of the committee, said: “There’s no question that Foodex is the established showcase for our industry and an effective bridge to the buyers that suppliers want to meet. We are grateful to the organisers for giving us the opportunity to collaborate and influence Foodex’s continued success.”

Commenting on the show, Event Director, Dan Dixon said: “Foodex offers a great opportunity for companies specialising in processing, packaging and logistics in the food and drink industry to get their brand, products and equipment in front of a high profile audience. We can’t wait for processing, packaging and logistics professionals to join us, meet peers from across the industry, share the latest ideas and thinking and find ways to transform the future of the manufacturing industries in the UK.”

The Great British Bounce Back 2014
Returning to the NEC following its success at the 2012 event, the Great British Bounce Back returns to showcase food and drink manufacturers that, through excellence and innovation, have helped to lead the UK economy out of the recession.

The competition will showcase best practice examples from across the industry in a bid to identify those businesses going the extra mile and investing in the future of the UK manufacturing.

Oxfordshire bakery The Fabulous Bakin’ Boys took the top honours in the 2012 #GBBB competition thanks to a £3 million investment in an automation packaging production line from Ulma. The investment was recognised for helping increase plant capacity and improving overall efficiency.

Speaking at the time, Gary Frank, Head Boy at the Fabulous Bakin’ Boys, said “We are really pleased to have won this award, and for being recognised within the industry for the investment we have put in to our machinery that enables us to produce fabulous innovative bakery snacks people will buy time and time again.”

So if your company has for example, significantly reduced energy consumption, invested in next generation workforce through introducing apprenticeships or developed the supply chain to ensure traceability, this award is for you. To enter, visit www.foodex.co.uk/GBBB and tell us why your organisation should be crowned the 2014 Great British Bounce Back Champion.

Foodex 2014 will also feature competitions such as the National Meat Products Competition and the Premier Young Butcher competition, both backed by the National Federation of Meat and Food Traders (NFMFT). The competitions will provide independent and young craft butchers with a chance to showcase their skills and compete at the highest level within the industry.

Introducing comedy night at Foodex 2014
Visitors and exhibitors will also be invited to attend the first Foodex comedy night on Monday 24th March to be held in Gallery Restaurant at the NEC. The “Live at the NEC, A night out with Foodex” event will be hosted by comedian John Moloney and feature performances from comedians Bob Mills, Geoff Norcott and Phil Butler.

With so much variety on offer, if you want to hear about the latest news and trends in processing, packaging and logistics for the food and drink manufacturing industries, Foodex 2014 holds the key. For more information and to register today, visit www.foodex.co.uk.

Foodex is co-located with Food & Drink Expo, incorporating Farm Shop & Deli Show and the National Convenience Show. The exhibition is free to attend – visitors can register via the website. Visitor badges are valid across all three days of the show and will allow entry into co-located shows. As this is a trade show, strictly no under 16s will be admitted.