Food & drink suppliers: Meet the buyers shaping garden retail

Garden centres have evolved far beyond plants and gardening products.

Today, they're home to thriving food halls, farm shops, cafés and restaurants, with food now a key driver of footfall, loyalty and revenue. As retailers continue to invest in food retail and hospitality, the opportunity for suppliers has never been greater.

Glee brings together the buyers looking for new products, brands and solutions to grow their food offering.

Speak to our team

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Glee & Autumn Fair combined buyers

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product sectors

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have purchasing power

Food Hall

Connect with buyers looking for artisan food, speciality drinks, premium gifting and locally sourced products for food halls, farm shops and retail food ranges.

As garden centres continue to expand their food retail offering, buyers are actively searching for brands that help them stand out and drive repeat visits.

Food & Beverage

Showcase your products and solutions to the decision-makers behind some of the UK's busiest garden centre cafés and restaurants.

From catering equipment and kitchen design to beverages, technology and operational solutions, Food & Beverage connects suppliers with hospitality teams investing in growth.

1. Access a growing market

Food and beverage are now major revenue drivers for garden retailers, with ongoing investment in food halls, cafés, restaurants and hospitality experiences.

2. Reach buyers with purchasing power

Meet the food hall managers, F&B directors, operators and retail buyers responsible for sourcing products and making investment decisions.

3. Unlock an overlooked route to market

Many suppliers focus on traditional retail and hospitality channels, while garden retail remains a largely untapped opportunity.

4. Launch and grow your brand

The New Product Awards give standout launches additional industry visibility, and immediate buyer feedback helps you refine your commercial story before the wider season begins.

5. Meet buyers during key buying cycles

Taking place in September, Glee connects you with buyers as they're planning and sourcing products for future ranges, making it the ideal time to showcase new innovations.

6. Access even more retail buyers

Expand your reach through Autumn Fair and connect with an extended audience of home, gift and lifestyle retailers looking for new products and suppliers.

Apply for a stand

Meet the buyers shaping the future of food in garden retail. Connect with food hall managers, café buyers, hospitality operators and retail decision-makers from leading groups including Dobbies, Blue Diamond, Bents, Hillier, Haskins, Notcutts and the National Trust, all looking for new products, brands and solutions to grow their food offering.

Garden Centres & Destinations

Logos of Garden Centers & Destinations visiting Glee

Department Stores & Multiple

Online/International

Logos of Online Businesses, International Businesses and Pet Retailers visiting Glee show

“We’ve been trading for 15 years and this is our first time at Glee as the UK distributor for Citrocana. Some of our biggest customers are farm shops so we’ve come here to see if we can expand further into garden centres. The quality of leads has been good and we’re also delighted to have won an award for another of our brands, a plant-based milk, Numilk. It’s particularly good to win an award at our first outing here. We’ll be back!”
Matt Simpkins,
iSqueeze
“This is our first real trade show in years and we’ve come to Glee because we can see this making a big impact in food courts and delis. The product really suits garden centres and taps into the male gifting market.”
Edward Starr,
Amazing Chocolate Workshop
"We didn’t do Solex, and decided to launch at Glee. The show has a really nice and positive feel, and very diverse. Some of the bigger buyers have been to see us, so we are happy!"

Gino Pizza Ovens
“We’ve been going for 40 years and we’re very buoyant as a company; we’re still growing. Glee is a nice show in a good location and a good way of getting in touch with the garden centre trade.”
Vince Young,
Tudor Tea & Coffee
“We are a one-stop-shop for a food shops and departments in garden centres. We’ve seen a mixture of new and existing customers at Glee and we’re pretty happy with the amount of leads we’ve had.”
Mark Prior,
Keff

What is the Food & Beverage sector at Glee?

The Food & Beverage sector at Glee is part of the UK’s leading garden centre trade show, showcasing suppliers for café, restaurant and foodservice operations within garden centres, farm shops and retail spaces.

What is the Food Hall sector at Glee?

The Food Hall sector at Glee brings together speciality food and drink brands for garden centres, farm shops and independent retail. It is a place to discover products that help retailers expand their food offering and attract more customers.

Who should exhibit in the Food & Beverage sector?

This sector is ideal for businesses offering catering equipment, café and restaurant design, kitchen solutions, drinks equipment and foodservice support. If you are looking to secure a Glee stand and connect with UK garden centre buyers, this is a key area to exhibit.

Who should exhibit in the Food Hall sector?

Food Hall is ideal for brands supplying chocolate and confectionery, hot drinks, snacks, artisanal foods, soft drinks, fresh produce, frozen food solutions, condiments, oils, preserves, and alcoholic drinks. It is a strong opportunity for suppliers looking to secure a Glee stand and connect with UK retail buyers.

Ready to reach new buyers?

Exhibit within Food Hall or Food & Beverage at Glee and put your brand in front of buyers actively investing in food retail, hospitality and customer experience. Apply for a stand and our team will be in touch.

Book a stand