Garden centre restaurant teams are expected to be among the 5,000 attendees at the Casual Dining show at ExCeL London later this month (25-26 March).
Organisers say there will be even more to see, sample and demo this year – with many exhibitors exclusively launching new products that will be shaping casual dining menus in the months and year to come.
There are more than 200 exhibitors – around 70% showcasing food and drink, while the rest will be presenting everything from the latest must-have equipment, kitchen kit, and tableware, to payment solutions, catering tech, and business services.
Names to check out (several targeting flexitarians and vegans) include:
Vegetarian Butcher, which is launching a range of 'meat successors' – vegan and vegetarian products designed for flexitarians. Products include NoChicken Chunks; NoBeef Burgers and NoHotdogs, which replicate the taste and texture of real meat; as well as NoChicken Teriyaki, NoChicken Shawarma and NoChicken Gyros (stand G55).
LoveSeitan’s vegan pepperoni, supplied frozen or chilled in sausage or sliced format, has the characteristically sweet-smoky flavour of its meaty counterpart. It’s made from seitan – protein-rich, low fat and 100% plant-based, and flavoured with chilli, smoked paprika, garlic and onion (stand A43).
Vita Mojo OS is launching its Order and Pay at Table system for restaurants, which means there is no longer a need for transactional behaviours of taking orders and payment. A customer can either use QR or NFC on tables to order, with staff interaction only to enhance their experience. Also new: Your Personalised Tasting Menu, which uses revolutionary AI to shape menu choices (stand G85).
Gelarto by Menodociotto’s new plant based, vegan friendly, gelato range is made with 'rice milk', which does not have a strong flavour profile, and is available in 5litre flavours: Vanilla, Chocolate, Hazelnut, Salted Caramel, Coconut and Cookies & Cream (stand A65).
Unilever Food Solutions launched a 2.62 litre bucket of Hellman’s Vegan Mayo last year and has now expanded the formats available to include a squeezy 430ml bottle. Made with rapeseed oil, it contains no eggs, no cholesterol and no genetically engineered ingredients (stand F55).
Trangs Group is launching hand-crafted battered vegan fish fillet, made from combining fresh jackfruit, banana blossom, oyster mushroom and nori coated in a crispy batter. The product is produced in a BRC certified factory and available for the retail and foodservice market (stand H51).
The Meatless Farm Co has created a sausage patty for an English breakfast muffin. Made from a combination of plant-based ingredients, including pea protein and unique flavourings, they're high in protein, a source of fibre, wheat- and gluten-free, vegan friendly and made without soy (stand D21).
GS Systems is launching Peazi – a new mobile order and pay solution for customers to order straight from their seats. There’s no app to download, no sign-up process, no email address to submit, no Wi-Fi to connect to, no queues to stand in. Customers browse the menu and tailor their choices, then Scan, Order and Pay with ApplePay or GooglePay (stand A37).
Billington Foodservice is launching its new Breathe Easy Brownie – a triple chocolate CBD Infused treat that may help to calm nerves and reduce anxiety (stand A71).
Moving Mountains Food will debut its new Sausage Burger. A plant-based product that emulates pork, with an identical texture and taste (stand F45).
Kepak Foodservice’s new ‘Burgers with a Blend’ – the Beefroot Burger and Moo-shroom Burger. The Beefroot Burger is made with 70% grass-fed Irish beef, 15% beetroot and 15% quinoa. The Moo-shroom Burger is made with 70% grass-fed Irish beef and 30% chestnut mushrooms (stand F61).
Meiko UK is launching a new sustainable range of food waste treatment solutions alongside the new entry-level UPster Series of glass, dish and pass-through dishwashers. Meiko’s Green Solutions BioMaster takes all food waste including cooking oils, fats and even bones, creating a biomass for collection. Also showcasing: examples from Meiko’s premium M-iClean series (stand C41).
JJ Foodservice has launched a new range of eco-friendly hygiene products. The range includes eco- and vegan-friendly Washing Up Liquid, Multi-Action Cleaning Spray, All Purpose Cleaner and Compostable Food Waste Liners. Also showcasing: UK-made, Cyprus Style Cheese, available in ample supply and up to 62% cheaper than supermarket Halloumi (stand F41).
Glebe Farm Foods’ new PureOaty oat drink is made using only four natural ingredients: British gluten free oats, water, sunflower oil and salt. Created specifically for foodservice professionals, it stretches perfectly when steamed for textbook microfoam (stand B11).
Belvoir Fruit Farms has introduced Belvoir's Sparkling Pink Lady Apple Juice, made from 100% juice. The juice is natural, with no added sugar and has notes of sweet apple and vanilla, delicate scents of rose and a citrus fruit tang (stand C40).
Fayrefield Foods has launched a completely allergen free non-dairy cream. Ready to use in an aerosol can, it is free from dairy, lactose, soya, coconut, gluten, and cholesterol. The cream is also vegan, Halal and Kosher certified and is ideal for cakes, desserts, hot drinks, milkshakes and ice creams (stand B63).
Fentimans is sampling its Light soft drink range, created by adopting the same botanical brewing process they’ve been using for over 100 years. Each drink contains less than 60 calories per bottle, whilst sugar has been reduced to 4.8g per 100ml without the use of artificial sweeteners (stand G61).
Binary Botanical has pioneered a new technique in brewing, as well as making it more sustainable. Hop leaves are usually thrown away at the end of harvest, but Good Living Brew use them in the brew – reducing the amount of bitterness traditionally associated with beer. This also brings an additional revenue source to local or
Free trade registration To register for a free trade ticket, please visit the website and use priority code CD10 (click here for direct link).