Starbucks, Compass & Caffè Nero to speak at lunch! 2017

Caffè Nero’s business development director Paul Ettinger, Compass Group’s marketing director Louise Pilkington and Starbucks’s senior innovation manager for EMEA Rachel Chatterton, are the latest additions to lunch!’s free Keynote line-up.

Taking place at London ExCeL next month, on 21-22 September, the UK’s biggest food-to-go trade show will feature over 20 free business seminars in two dedicated keynote theatres. Previously confirmed sessions include exclusive interviews with Roger Whiteside, CEO of Greggs, Andrew Walker, chief executive of EAT, and celebrity chef Theo Randall.

Randall, best known as an award-winning restauranteur, has spent many years championing ‘innovation in sandwich design’. In his role as head judge at the Sammies and the Café Life awards, he’s sampled almost every new sandwich that has entered the multiple and independent food-to-go marketplace over the last five years. He’ll be sharing his love for sandwiches and revealinghow a focus on innovation can grow and further improve this vibrant sector in the show’s opening Keynote (hosted by The British Sandwich Association).

The future of food-to-go

Another first day session highlight comes from Compass Group’s consumer marketing director for the UK and Ireland – Louise Pilkington. She’ll be making her lunch! speaking debut with a ‘must attend’ session focusing on how to use consumer insights to drive innovation and maintain competitive advantage.

“As the world’s biggest caterer, we get a really unique insight into the lives and eating habits of each generation,” says Pilkington. “Of particular interest to us, in terms of shaping our future offer, are the children and young adults we are catering for now in schools, colleges and universities. How they think and how they engage with food is very different to current generations and we need to be ready for that.”

Prior to joining Compass in 2015, she held a long term consulting role as global innovation projects director at Costa, where she was responsible for food, beverage and store format innovation; and senior brand development and marketing roles at Moet Hennessy, Diageo and P&G.

For her, the food-to-go sector has “become so much more exciting” over the last ten years, giving consumers more choice than ever. There are, she explains, “so many more options, more world cuisines, street food, it’s easier and more convenient, plus healthier options. Lunch on the run doesn’t have to be a compromise purchase any more – it can be a great food experience.”

“lunch! is the best opportunity in the year to see the food-to-go industry in action, to learn from others and see examples of innovation,” she says.

Coffee shop innovators

According to the latest Project Café2017 UK report from Allegra World Coffee Portal, British consumers now drink an estimated 2.3 billion cups of coffee per year in stores[1]. The coffee shop market – already one of the most competitive in the UK, with an estimated 22,845 outlets, is set for further growth and could exceed 32,000 outlets by 2025.

Senior representatives from two of the UK’s biggest coffee shop chains – Starbucks and Caffè Nero – will be hosting Keynotes at lunch! discussing the challenges of this dynamic market and their strategies for success.

Rachel Chatterton, Starbucks’s senior innovation manager for EMEA, will be talking about the importance of leading in food and drink innovation to ‘continue to surprise’ customers and respond to changing consumer trends. (The introduction of Nitro Cold Brew at scale, earlier this year, is a great example of this.) To hear more about Starbucks R&D journey, head to Keynote Theatre 1 at 2.15pm on 21 September (opening day).

Paul Ettinger, Caffè Nero’s business development director, and one of the company’s co-founders, will be sharing his thoughts on the coffee sector, and where it ‘could be’ ten years from now, in Keynote Theatre 2 at 2.45pm on 22 September (the show’s second day). Appearing in an exclusive interview with Neville Moon, owner of The NPD Kitchen and a former head of food and beverage at Caffè Nero, he’ll be discussing his experiences in helping to build one of Britain’s best loved coffee shop brands – including how Caffè Nero’s innovative offer has evolved through the years, and how learning from the past can help shape the future.

The Keynote line-up will also include senior representatives from Pret A Manger, Tim Hortons, and Harris & Hoole. Plus, as in previous years, there will be essential food-to-go market updates from MCA (Simon Stenning), The NPD Group (Cyril Lavenant), CGA Peach (Jamie Campbell), Lucid Perspectives (Emma Read), and IGD (Gavin Rothwell).

Free trade registration

lunch! has been called the “key event for our industry” by Pret’s Caroline Cromar, “extremely valuable” by Greggs’ CEO Roger Whiteside and his buying team, while for Tossed’s Angelina Harrisson it’s her “favourite show of the year”. Over 6,200 buyers are expected to attend for 2017.

For further information, and to register for a free trade ticket in advance, please visit www.lunchshow.co.uk and quote priority code LUN13 (https://registration.n200.com/survey/00mbvaueop7fj/register?actioncode=LUN13).

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Media enquiries & press pass requests:

Please apply for press accreditation in advance via this link: https://registration.n200.com/survey/18tf2yue7tusi
Emma–Louise Jones, Head of PR
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e: ejones@divcom.co.uk
Website: www.divcom.co.uk
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Grace Allwright, Group Marketing Manager
t: +44 (0)1273 645116
e: gallwright@divcom.co.uk

Exhibitor enquiries to:

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e: cbrazier@divcom.co.uk
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