The UK grocery industry is booming. The last ten years have witnessed steady growth in the sector, with market value rising from £96.6 billion in 1999 to a staggering £146.3 billion last year. Indeed, food and drink expenditure now accounts for 52p in every £1of retail spending.

And it's not difficult to work out how this increase has come about. There are currently almost 100,000 grocery stores in the UK alone, comprising convenience outlets, traditional retail areas, hypermarkets, supermarkets and superstores as well as online channels, all offering consumers the chance to snap up the latest food and drink products to hit the shelves. With consumer confidence growing again, the recessionary pressures of 2009 are beginning to seem like a distant memory.

However, that's not to say retailers can sit back and simply wait for customers to come through the doors and spend, spend, spend. Despite a more positive economic outlook, British shoppers are as mindful as ever about where they are spending their money. They want to be inspired by their food and drink and are constantly on the look out for new products and ideas to expand their culinary repertoire.

Retailers need to ensure that they have their fingers on the pulse when it comes to the latest launches and newest products to market. The outlet with the best selection of new products, that anticipate consumers ever-changing tastes, will ultimately win-out. An easy task, some might think, given the number of companies constantly bringing out new brands. However, with the constant time and financial pressures that retail buyers are under these days, there simply isn't the opportunity for them to go out hunting for the very latest products to come onto the market.

Which is why IFE provides the perfect opportunity for buyers to see all the key players, as well as small local producers just starting out, all in one place and at one time. The 2011 instalment of the industry-leading event will be a veritable melting pot of products, ideas and inspiration for buyers all looking to add that crucial point of difference to their store aisles. Over 1,100 organisations will be on show, all keen for their products to begin their journeys to retailers' shelves when the show kicks-off on 13-16 March 2011 at London's ExCeL centre.

IFE is the country's premier food and drink sourcing event and is expected to be the talk of the industry when it opens its doors to the trade. Thousands upon thousands of never-been-seen-before products will be launched into the UK arena, all vying for the attention of an audience expected to top 20,000.

But if you've been to IFE in the past and believe you've seen it all before, think again. This year's event is returning with a renewed and revitalised outlook.

IFE11 will play host to its best 'educational' programme to-date this year, with a host of brand new features set to equip visitors with all the inspiration, knowledge and industry insights they require to help set their business apart from the competition in the tough retail world.

What's new at IFE?

A brand new feature of this year's show is New Products Live which will comprise of three areas, where visitors can discover the latest innovations from suppliers. A new product display area will showcase a range of specially selected products from 12 categories, including bakery and confectionery, cheese and dairy, organic and seafood. During the exhibition, the annual Fresh Ideas award will be presented to the exhibitor with the best innovation. Judged independently, the winner will have its product showcased in New Products Live. Finally, professionals can visit the free-to-attend Future Trends seminars, run by Mintel. The sessions, presented by leading figures in the food and drink industry, will offer valuable insights into new product trends and the changing tastes of consumers.

Designed to add colour and vibrancy to the international Walk the World section, the brand new Meet the World feature brings together different international groups and provides them with a collective platform to showcase the best food and drink their country has to offer. There will be plenty of captivating visual performances from each nation.

Tapping into the rising consumer interest in food provenance, another brand new show feature this year will be the English Regional Kitchen. IFE11 will be the very first trade show to host a pavilion devoted entirely to English food and drink products, representing an industry milestone. Organised by the Regional Food Alliance, the feature will bring together the very best regional food that the country has to offer.

Demand for high-quality oils is riding high in the retail industry, so a new must-visit at IFE will be The World of Oil. Visitors will be given the opportunity to sample some of the finest varieties currently on offer from leading producers around the globe.

For visitors keen to catch-up on the very latest consumer and industry trends, The Hub will be the place to be. A free-to-attend programme of seminars, conducted by leading industry experts, will take place on the first two days of the event, offering delegates a unique opportunity to update their knowledge and take away key learnings that can be applied to their own business.

Once again, IFE will play host to a unique and high profile Key Buyer Initiative throughout the show. Senior buyers from the UK's leading retailers have already confirmed their participation with representatives from the likes of Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Asda set to hear pitches from exhibitors on their latest products to be launched.

IFE will also be joined by sister show, Pro2Pac, which focuses on the packaging and processing side of the food and drink industry, by showcasing some of the latest innovations to streamline manufacturing operations.

The stars of the exhibition

As always, the quality - and quantity - of exhibitors is absolutely unique to IFE. No other UK event brings together so many UK and international exhibitors with such different, added-value offerings under one roof. All the major players from across the different industry sectors - such as Cadbury, Marfrig Europe, Bernard Matthews, Delifrance and Britvic - will join regional producers such as Pieminister, Paxton & Whitfield and Simply Ice-cream. Below are just some of the highlights at this year's event:

In the Drinks section, Tulip International will be highlighting its Aloe Vera drinks at this year's IFE whilst Possmei will be bringing its bubble milk tea mix, which combines tapioca pearls, brewed tea and milk, from Korea to the show. Scheckters Organic will be delivering a world first to IFE - its natural, organic, vegetarian, fairtrade-certified energy drink, OrganicEnergy.

Frubob USA will be highlighting the UK's first premium fruit float. Frubob is a 100% natural Fruit Float, made with real pieces of fruit bobbing in real fruit juice. Available in four refreshing flavours - orange, mango, pineapple and peach, Frubob is set to be a phenomenon when it hits the UK market at IFE11. Cool Tropics will be at the show with its brand new Rips Slush. A ready-to-serve 100% juice slush, the product offers a unique, healthy and interactive snacking experience - simply freeze and squeeze!

In the General Food category, Avilton Foods will be at IFE with Jamie Oliver's latest range of ambient food products. Meanwhile, Longdan will be showcasing several exciting new brands from the Far East and Japan, never previously seen on these shores. Meanwhile, East End Foods, The Cheese Cellar and Fresh Olive will also all have a presence at IFE 2011.

Moving on to the Bakery & Confectionery section, where visitors will be able to sample foods from Rich Products, a leading bakery supplier. The company will be highlighting its products including Masterblend filling cream, Whip Topping Base and Bettercreme. For the first time in 10 years, Delifrance will have a presence at a trade show. The company has chosen IFE, the UK's leading food and drink trade show to highlight its latest range of French style bakery products.

In the Meat section, Marfrig, the second largest meat processor in the world will use IFE as a launch pad for the latest additions to its comprehensive range whilst Plusfood - part of Brasil Foods, the largest meat processor in the world - and Silver Hill Foods will also have a presence at the show.

In the Frozen Foods category, leading artisan bread and confectionery brand Bridor, will be highlighting the latest additions to its product range whilst Germany-based Sweet Horn, will be highlighting its quality frozen pastry line. In addition, Dujardin Foods, one of Europe's leading producers of frozen vegetables, herbs, ingredients and ready meals will be hoping to catch the attention of the visiting buyers at the 2011 event.

The Speciality & Regional Food from Britain section is always extremely popular with visitors and bursting at the seams with exhibitors keen to show-off their latest local delicacy. Signed-up to exhibit in the area this year are hand cooked crisp specialists, Tyrrells, handmade pie suppliers, Pieminister, ice cream manufacturer Purbeck Ice Creams and natural granola breakfast cereal producers, Lovedean.

Exhibiting in the Cheese & Dairy section this year will be a host of major industry players as well as some smaller companies that are new to the market. Bradbury & Son is a UK supplier of Dutch cheese. The company's product range covers Edam, Gouda, Maasdam, Goat's cheese, smoked and much more. Lakeland Dairies, Ireland's second largest dairy processing co-operative, will also be at IFE, along with Dairy Partners, who will be showcasing its peelable cheese, a new natural cheese snack at the show.

The UK's leading nutrition consultancy and producer of seeded snacks, The Food Doctor, is just one of a growing number of companies exhibiting in the Health & Wellbeing category at IFE11. Also present will be leading soy-products company, Alpro, vitamin fruit juice shots company, Shotz Health and the owners of the first functional health coffee patent, Fitness Coffee.

Ingredient companies also signed-up to exhibit including leading players Doehler, Cobell, SMA Trading Company and Cadbury whilst Walk the World will play host to companies from Europe, the USA and the Far East.

Christopher McCuin, IFE Event Director, commented: "The next edition of IFE is going to be the most talked-about event in the food and drink industry calendar next year. Key retail buyers from across the world will be in attendance as well as top buyers from the wholesale, foodservice and manufacturing industries. We have a host of new features that really capitalise on current consumer trends and we are hoping this will make for an even more informative show for both exhibitors and visitors alike."

For more information or details on exhibiting at the show, contact the IFE Team on +44 (0)20 7886 3092. To register for FREE entry, visit www.ife.co.uk.

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For further press information please contact Naomi Allsop or Adam Craig at the IFE press office on +44 (0) 20 7240 2444 or e-mail naomi@stormcom.co.uk or adam@stormcom.co.uk