Feature
Tell us a bit about the history of
Imbibe Live
Launched in 2010 by the team behind
Imbibe magazine, Imbibe Live is
the annual exhibition for anyone
who sources, buys or serves drinks
in the licensed on-trade. The show
attracts thousands of visitors, from
sommeliers, buyers and managers
to publicans and bartenders as they
come together to discuss and shape
the future of the UK’s hospitality
sector. In 2016 the publication and
exhibition were acquired by Reed
Exhibitions.
Tell us about the launch of The
Snack Show
We decided to launch the Snack
Show as a new dedicated event
for the snacking industry, co-
located this year with Imbibe Live.
Complementing the on-trade drinks
environment extremely well, the
show invited consumer-focused
buyers from pubs, restaurants, bars
and hotels to retailers, gyms and spas
to discover brands that could help
shape their offering.
With the snacking category
currently valued at £18bn and
growing, there was no better place to
find the latest product development
and to meet evolving consumer
preferences. Changing consumer
palates and snacking habits were in
the spotlight, including the growing
demand for specialist offerings such
as gluten-free, vegan, sustainable and
healthy snacks, helping to fuel the
sector’s success.
How did you celebrate Imbibe’s
10th birthday?
Imbibe Live introduced a number
of new feature areas for its 10th
anniversary show, including Chef’s
Table, a brand-new theatre focusing
on the art of food and drinks pairing.
The new theatre hosted a series
of masterclasses where industry
professionals revealed the most
suitable pairings to elevate the
30 — July
consumer experience. A highlight
from the theatre this year was the
packed-out Vegan Food & Wine
Pairing Masterclass, delivered by
guest speaker David Havlik, Head
Sommelier at the highly acclaimed
Gauthier Soho who highlighted the
importance of catering to a growing
demographic of vegan consumers.
2019 also saw the introduction
of the new Industry Matters
stage, a theatre that addressed
the most pertinent issues faced by
the industry when dealing with
recruitment, retention and staff
development. This year’s line-up
saw Miguel Lopez, the founder
of Lab for Fitness, give attending
bartenders and sommeliers insights
on how to improve personal well-
being by making simple diet and
lifestyle adjustments. Jeremy Scorer
from Hospitality Industry Training
also put the spotlight on the skills
shortage in the sector and revealed
the secrets to attracting more skilled
professionals.
For the first time in the event’s
10-year history, we also partnered
with DrinkUp.London, the industry
insiders’ guide to drinking in
London, to offer attendees a whole
host of after parties across London
to toast the 10th anniversary
including cider tours, bar takeovers
and special guests.
Further to this, we also focused
on being more sustainable as an
event and asked all exhibitors to
Raising
the bar
Lindsey Coleman, event director for
Reed Exhibitions’ Imbibe Live, on
celebrating the show’s 10th birthday
bring alternative options to plastic
sampling cups. In the feature areas,
plastic was removed, and bio-
degradable cups and plates were
used. The hospitality industry is
incredibly committed and forward-
thinking when it comes to reducing
waste and we wanted to echo
our industry’s efforts and held
masterclasses to share knowledge
and further ways to do this.
What content was available on the
show floor?
Imbibe Live showcased the very best
producers from around the world.
From Japanese sake to Somerset
cider, no stone was left unturned
with our anniversary line-up of over
300 exhibitors. The show floor was
packed with producers spanning
across the wine, spirits, beer, cider,
soft drinks and snacks categories.
A highlight from the beer