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22-23 September 2027 | Excel | London

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01/09/2022

Plant-based milk, like no udder

in Blog, Show News

The food-to-go, coffee shop and cafe industry is no stranger to plant-based milk. Gone are the days where it felt strange to ask for a dairy free alternative in your coffee or request oat milk for your office fridge. For years soya milk was the only real option found in supermarkets or cafes, but now there is an abundance of milk alternatives to choose from, including oat, soya, almond, pea, and even potato and quinoa! We’ve seen a great deal of vegan innovation (across meat in particular), but one product that arguably stands out among the rest is plant-based milk. […]

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25/07/2022

How is coffee creating a buzz in the UK?

in Blog, Show News

It’s safe to say, coffee is one of the most popular drinks across the world. In the UK alone, we drink approximately 98 million cups of coffee per day! But with soaring consumer demand, comes heaps of innovation – and the coffee industry is no exception. From specialty roasts to mushroom and CBD coffee, here we explore the history, production, and trends popping up in this thriving market.   The coffee house boom  The first coffee house opened in 1550 in Constantinople and in the 17th century, cafés and coffee houses opened widely across Italy, France, Germany and England. It’s […]

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14/06/2022

The brands making on-the-go water more sustainable

in Blog, Show News

As you read this, billions of litres of bottled water are being shipped halfway across the world and millions of plastic drink containers are sold every day. Consequently, the drinks industry contributes to 34% of manmade greenhouse gasses. This is increasingly becoming a problem for the food-to-go–sector as more consumers are becoming aware of their plastic consumption through everyday essentials, like water.  The idea of refillable water bottles surged in popularity, but since the pandemic, the more hygienic option of disposables has creeped its way back into people’s baskets. And for some industries – like events and festivals – selling […]

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26/05/2022

lunch! celebrates British Sandwich week!

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During British sandwich week the nation celebrates all things sandwiches. The week was pioneered by the British Sandwich & Food to Go Association (BSA) as a salute to the sandwich industry for its contribution to the economy. lunch! – the industry event for café, coffee shop and food-to-go brings hundreds of influential brands together in one place, and sandwiches will always be at the heart of this vibrant sector.   Who pioneered the first sandwich?  If you want to dive deep into the history of the sandwich – we must look back to John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, in […]

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29/04/2022

CBD infused food and drink at lunch! 2022

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Cannabidiol – better known as CBD – is having a huge impact. This hemp-derivative is making its way into more and more products, and at a rapid rate. Increased recognition of CBD’s medical benefits – aiding everything from chronic pain and inflammation to anxiety and insomnia – means we’re now seeing this controversial plant thrive in the world of food-to-go and drink.

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25/01/2022

Veganuary 2022 – Best of lunch!’s plant-based exhibitors

in Show News

Veganuary is increasing in popularity year by year. Helping to get more people to try a vegan diet (for the whole of January), the campaign recently announced they had hit 2 million participants since launching in 2014. The success of the initiative shows the surge in an interest for plant-based foods, and as a result, the retail market is thriving with new plant-based food-to-go products, which is now expanding with innovative ingredients and interesting alternatives. In fact, 566 new vegan products launched into retail for Veganuary last year. As well as this, mainstream lunch spots on the high-street have been […]

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25/08/2021

Q&A: Russell Simpson, Operations Director, LEON Restaurants

in Q&As

Russell Simpson has worked with LEON for six years, from General Manager and opening the company’s first Birmingham restaurant, to Operations Director during the hospitality industry’s most challenging period. We caught up with Russell ahead of his appearance on the Operations in Food to Go Panel at lunch! 2021.   How has your business adapted to the challenges of these uncertain times?  LEON has adapted in many ways throughout these uncertain times, over the past 18 months we have done everything we can to keep our team in work with projects such as FeedNHS and Feed Britain selling groceries through the 1st lockdown. We are also in the exciting process […]

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