VegfestUK organisers have announced dates for VegfestUK Trade 17 – and the UK’s first dedicated vegan trade and media show is to be held at Olympia London on October 20th 2017.

VegfestUK Trade 2017 will see around 180 stallholders with all the cutting edge vegan products coming onto the market, and the organisers anticipate an attendance of around 2,000 trade buyers and media representatives.

Although there has been a strong trade and media element to VegfestUK consumer shows in previous years, and indeed at other high profile vegan events globally, it’s the first time that there has been an actual dedicated vegan trade event, where only trade buyers and media will be present.

“The growth in the vegan trade has been astronomical,” added VegfestUK organisers, “and as such, both media and trade attention has blossomed in the past few years, so much so that we now need a dedicated trade event where only trade buyers and media can attend, ensuring maximum sales and exposure for vegan businesses in the UK, resulting in added accessibility for vegan consumers nationwide.”

VegfestUK Trade will be open to trade and media on the Friday at Olympia, before the well established and hugely successful VegfestUK London consumer event which will be at the same venue on Saturday October 21st and Sunday October 22nd. VegfestUK London 17, in it’s 5th year, will attract  around 15,000 consumers hungry for the latest options available for the vegan lifestyle.

“We’ve been running successful vegan consumer events for 15 years now,” continue the organisers, “and are well versed in the unique needs for vegan consumers. However, this trade event will be a new direction for us, and as such, we will be engaging with industry experts and consultants to ensure a top quality trade and media event. Already we are experiencing high demands from the likes of supermarkets, hospitality, airlines and mainstream media to visit our consumer show, and we have no doubt that our trade show in 2017 will be a huge success on all fronts.”

The event is sponsored by original hemp company Yaoh who have been supporting vegan events for 15 years now, and they will be joined by the UK’s first vegan business Plamil Foods, founded by Arthur Ling in 1963, and flourishing to this day as a provider of vegan chocolate and other vegan options.

Adrian Ling, Plamil’s MD and son of their founder Arthur, added ‘’Plamil are absolutely delighted to be involved with this first solely Vegan Trade show. Vegan history has its big milestones;- Plamil’s history, the first vegan company is twinned with the Vegan Society’s birth. Now I’m able to look forward to this new milestone – VegfestUK Trade. I encourage all to get involved as every vegan product sold is one more step towards a more ethical, compassionate and sustainable planet.’’

The website will go live for bookings in early 2017. Meanwhile, further announcements involving partners and consultants will be made over the coming months.

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