Source Roadshow

Bringing the best of the South West to Bristol’s food & drink buyers this June

On Thursday 16 June 2022, the Source Roadshow will be bringing 150 exhibitors to Bristol's Ashton Gate Stadium, for one day only. Hale Events has been organising food and drink trade shows in the South West for 15 years. Their Source food and drink trade show, which takes place each February in Exeter, has been running successfully for over 15 years, and this is the first time they are bringing it to Bristol.

Working with Taste of the West, the South West’s regional food group, and BARBI, the Bristol Association of Restaurants, Bars and Independent Establishments, along with a broad mix of trade publications, and local business press, this new event will showcase food & drink, equipment and all the services your catering, hospitality, or food retail business needs. 

“Bristol has a thriving independent food sector, with a focus on local, organic and ethical produce, so it’s perfect for us to connect more regional producers to. We want to help Bristol buyers try, taste and test even more of the best produce that the South West has to offer.” Mike Anderson, Managing Director. Hale Events.

“Trade shows offer a unique marketing medium in today’s digital world. Their face-to-face nature enables long-term trusting relationships to be built. They are engaging and in a market like food and drink, events like this are a great way to compare the competition.”

If you are buying food and drink, to reflect the ever-changing needs of your customers, there is nothing quite like a face-to-face event for you to test, touch and taste and add value to your offering. Keep up with the latest developments and spot fresh opportunities. Discover remarkable local products with fascinating provenance stories to tell and spend valuable time with passionate producers and knowledgeable suppliers face-to-face. Compare different flavours and textures, build relationships with new partners, catch up with colleagues, clients, and friends, as well as get a feel for the latest trends.

Just a few of the exhibiting companies are: Arthur David Food with Service, Brothers Drinks, Bristol Labels, Charles Saunders, Chunk of Devon, Clearbrew, Cobbs Cakes, Deli Farm Charcuterie, Filberts Fine Foods, Fowey Valley Cider, Foxcombe Bakehouse, Hunts Foodservice, Pattersons, RD Johns Foodservice, QTOS Catering Equipment, Rawlings, Sheppy's Cider and The Craft Drink Company. The show website has a full list of exhibitors.

“We’ve wanted a trade show for hospitality buyers in Bristol for years. We’re delighted Hale Events are launching one because we’ve always done great business at their shows.” Nick Rowland, Director Qtos Catering Equipment.

John Sheaves, Taste of the West’s Chief Executive said: “Taste of the West is absolutely delighted to support the new Source Roadshow in Bristol, being one of the key cities and therefore markets for high quality food and drink, in the Southwest. This is a truly exciting venture that takes quality, high integrity products right into the heart of Bristol, where producers will be able to share their knowledge and expertise with buyers from the city. For us having the Source trade show skills and expertise behind the venture provides us with great confidence”.

Alongside the exhibitors, the organisers are creating a Feature Space to allow visitors to relax and kick back in between checking out the latest food, drink, and business services on offer from the exhibitors. Focussed around a fund-raising graffiti wall, created by Bristol artist Ollie Gillard of Gage Graphics, this area will have hourly tastings of local award-winning Somerset Charcuterie, matched with Ginjar’s ‘refreshingly twisted’ gin cocktail samples. They’re also bringing The Happy Mexican from Axbridge, Somerset, to delight your taste buds with authentic Mexican food. There’ll be a DJ creating some background sounds for you to enjoy, while you sample. 

Bristol Robotics Laboratory will be showcasing one of their robots in the Feature Space too. Bristol is a tech hub, and experts from the laboratory will be on hand to meet with producers and visitors, to explore future needs and how their robotics can help efficiencies in manufacture and the hospitality sector. 

The serious side of this fun feature is that the final graffiti art piece, as well as a limited-edition magnum of commemorative Ginjar gin featuring the piece, will be auctioned off to raise funds for those in need in the hospitality sector via national charity Hospitality Action. It’s the charity that offers help, advice, and support whenever times get tough for staff in the hospitality industry, to help get them back on their feet and enjoying the job again, or to prepare them for the next phase of their lives.

The organisers are also delighted to host the City of Bristol College, and Weston College, who will be at the show to introduce visitors to the next generation of hospitality stars, and how to access their skills.

Buyers should plan for a full day at the Source Roadshow! There’s so much to see that it will be easy to spend many productive hours walking the aisles, meeting the exhibitors, and networking. It’s just so much easier to make those all-important buying decisions when competing offerings are shown side by side. After all, you can’t touch and taste on the internet, can you? There’s just no substitute for meeting producers face to face and trying their products in person.

The Source Roadshow takes place on Thursday 16^th June, from 10.00am to 6.00pm at Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol. Visiting this show is free for trade buyers, who can register now, at bristol.thesourcetradeshow.co.uk. Information about exhibiting at this show is available from James Curtis, or Paul Thomas on 01934 733433 or by emailing stands@hale-events.com.