Grounds for celebration: Queensland’s leading hospitality trade event returns to Brisbane
Queensland is constantly evolving as a foodie state, from chefs challenging convention to service professionals curating spaces that bring loyal and travelling customers through the doors. This October, buyers and decision-makers will come together for two packed days of strategy and growth at the Food & Hospitality Queensland and Café & Coffee Experience trade event. So if you serve it, sell it, stock it or supply it – this is the right place to be.
Running across Monday October 12 and Tuesday October 13 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre in South Brisbane, the large-scale showcase offers a space for more than 6000 industry professionals and 170-plus brands to gather and discuss the latest in Queensland food and hospitality across product discovery, networking, education and business.
This year, Food & Hospitality Queensland will be co-located with the Café & Coffee Experience, designed to showcase the products, equipment, technology and ideas built around modern cafe culture. Here, visitors can connect with cafe owners, roasters and buyers to discuss everything from coffee roasters and alternative milks to breakfast menu items and specific packaging demands.
Beyond the exhibition floor, attendees can visit panels across three stages, offering everything from cutting-edge demonstrations to direct insider knowledge suitable for restaurants, cafes, hotels, pubs, clubs, catering, retail, convenience and wholesale businesses.
The Business & Tech Stage will host panels exploring the future of hospitality and its operations. Among them is Building the Next Generation of Hospitality Destinations, bringing together executive chef consultant Paul Rifkin, Sam McKnoulty of Merge Marketing, Ben Hehir, head of training and development at Australian Venue Co., Comiskey Group co-founder and director Rob Comiskey, and James Frostick, editor of The Weekend Edition. The quintet will unpack Queensland’s thriving hospitality scene, the operational decisions behind building a strong sense of place and how to foster an environment that customers want to return to.
Other program highlights include Brisbane 2032: Hospitality’s Biggest Opportunity of the Decade, which analyses what hospitality businesses should be doing now to make the most of the opportunities ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The session features Queensland Hotels Association CEO Bernie Hogan, Lorelle Chittick of the Brisbane Economic Development Agency and Brisbane Times food and culture editor Matt Shea.
On Tuesday October 13, attendees will have the opportunity to hear from female speakers representing Melrose Restaurant & Rooftop Bar, Joy Restaurant, Visumé, Anyday Hospitality Group and Paramount 21 Ltd. At Leading from the Front: Women Shaping the Future of Hospitality, the panel will discuss the role of women in the industry, the pressures of running a business and the challenge of staying true to a vision – offering an honest and practical look at effective leadership in an ever-changing industry.
The event will also feature a ROASTERS VILLAGE, a Producers Hub supported by Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise (TSBE), and live head-to-head battles to crown Queensland’s pizza championships and professional chef of the year.
Subscribe for updatesWhether you’re looking to connect with suppliers, invest in new equipment or gain firsthand industry knowledge, Food & Hospitality Queensland is the ideal environment for your business needs.
Food & Hospitality Queensland and Café & Coffee Experience will be held from October 12–13 at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. Industry registration is now open via the website, with a 20 percent discount using code TWE20 at checkout.
Please note, Food & Hospitality Queensland is a business event and not open to the general public. All visitors must be over the age of 16 and work in the hospitality, foodservice, retail or convenience sectors. View the full registration terms and conditions here.
This article was written in partnership with our friends at Food & Hospitality Queensland.
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