FPJ’s open-air summer festival allowed the UK fresh produce trade to catch up, share ideas, enjoy the sun and take in a heavy-hitting speaker programme at the site of AMFRESH’s new packhouse and innovation centre
Festival of Fresh 2023 saw 300 people from across the UK fruit and vegetable supply chain come together in Alconbury Weald, Cambridgeshire to celebrate the best of fresh produce in Britain.
Taking place at the new site of AMFRESH on Midsummer’s Day, 21 June, it was an opportunity for the British fresh produce trade to catch up with one another, foster new contacts, share knowledge and innovative ideas, and enjoy the sun.
The open-air festival, organised by Fresh Produce Journal, featured two stages, a wide array of exhibitor stands, deck chairs, fruit and vegetable sampling, a folk band, and some delicious food and drink.
Celebrating some of the best innovations and initiatives in the UK’s fresh produce business, exhibitors included Veg Power, JD Cooling, NFU Energy, City Harvest, Sensitech, Clarifruit, Redpack, and many more.
Importantly, the event provided a platform for the sector to discuss the pressing challenges it faces. Continuity of supply, inflation, climate change, R&D, and seasonal labour recruitment were all up for discussion.
And the speaker programme included frank discussions and insights from leading figures across the UK’s fruit and vegetable supply chains. Retailers, suppliers, importers, marketers, and breeders all contributed to the debate – as did trade bodies, retail analysts, and food redistribution companies.
Star speakers included Tom Mackintosh (Tesco), Mark Player (AMFRESH), Martin Emmett (NFU), Jack Ward (Brtish Growers), James Simpson (BAPL), Nick Marston (British Berry Growers), Susan Barratt (IGD), and Sarah Calcutt (City Harvest), among a host of other big names.
Above is a selection of photographs from the day.
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