Wednesday 12 November saw the UK Foodservice Equipment Association (FEA)’s 2025 Industry Conference take place. Held at De Vere Cotswold Water Park Hotel in The Cotswold’s, England, the conference attracted just shy of 200 attendees, comprised of FEA members and representatives of the wider UK foodservice sector.
The conference was themed around the subject of ‘business agility’, with a variety of speakers and panellists on stage addressing the subject through a number of lenses – from the UK economy to AI, with the latter topic featuring prominently across an entire afternoon of focused content.
1473 Media’s Michael Jones, editorial director of FCSI’s Foodservice Conference portfolio, moderated the conference, as well as presenting to attendees in the morning on the subject of ‘Global Foodservice Trends, Opportunities, and Challenges’.
Fun, informative, thought-provoking
FEA chair Emma Brooks (pictured below at the opening dinner) kicked off proceedings with a pledge that conference delegates would appreciate “a fun, informative and thought-provoking day.”
Broadcaster Declan Curry gave an economic update in the morning, projecting the future state of the UK economy, particularly pertinent in advance of the forthcoming UK Budget. With UK economic growth remaining subdued ahead of the Budget, with GDP rising just 0.3% in Q2 2025, down from 0.7% growth in Q1 2025, Curry predicted more uncertainty and the strong possibility that Chancellor Rachel Reeves will have to make a series of tough choices. With the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) expected to downgrade productivity forecasts, Curry suggested that now was actually the time for the UK government to make some bold decisions, financially, which could even benefit the British equipment manufacturing sector.
ABDA Design’s Claire Smith and Tansin Blankley presented on the subject of ‘Designing for Agility: Transforming Hospitality with Purpose’, showcasing a series of impressive UK projects they have worked on where design has driven true business agility.
Jones interviewed RATIONAL AG’s CEO Dr Peter Stadelmann on stage for the morning keynote session. Stadelmann was impressively candid about the company’s growth challenges and opportunities, as well as outlining the global and geopolitical headwinds that the equipment industry faces. Stadelmann remains confident for a positive future for the equipment industry in 2026 and beyond, he said, precisely because of the industry’s proven ability to “act agile” under pressure.
Michael Jones and Declan Curry on stage
Embracing AI
Levy UK & Ireland’s Mark Reynolds presented some excellent live examples of Levy and Compass Group’s implementation of AI and other cutting-edge technologies in the kitchens of their customers, with particular reference to sports stadia such as the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, and other major live event venues. Levy, said Reynolds, are actively embracing AI, not being fearful of it.
That was a key theme continued into the afternoon. Projekt Rising’s Tim Davies, CG Vision Consultancy’s Chang Ge, and Parts Town’s Emanuela Delgado all presented on different aspects of AI and its potential impact on foodservice and hospitality. The three speakers were then interviewed as a panel by Jones, who fielded a number of questions from delegates eager to learn more about how AI will change the sector in the future. Significantly, it transpires.
Otherwise, closing keynote Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards brought the fun and motivation before the gala dinner and awards, while Contiquip’s Greg Archer MBE also gave an excellent update on the launch of FEA’s NextGen Council, encouraging young people to join – and crucially, guide themselves.
Prior to the conference, Jones also moderated an expert, invite-only afternoon panel session on the hot topic of the ‘Circular Economy of Carbon’, which featured FEA’s Luke Slater, Tricon Foodservice Consultant’s Paul Arnold, Humble Arnold Associates’ Edward Bircham FCSI, AGGORA Group’s Ross Emery, Williams Refrigeration’s Malcolm Harling, and MKN Global’s Wayne Bennett (pictured below).
Following an excellent presentation by Slater, the panel debated whether or not the UK sector will move away from a more traditional focus of developing projects, if the industry is ready for Digital Product Passports, CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism) and Carbon-based purchasing. Plus, whether traditional buying methods for catering equipment are going to change, and if EU proposed regulations will be reflected in the UK.
The panel, as with the conference itself that followed, was brimming with insight and information but also a refreshing honesty that even the experts do not have all of the answers to the many challenges the industry is throwing up to equipment manufacturers right now. But that high-level discussion and, crucially, greater collaboration is the key to greater agility – and future success.
Michael Jones
