The Village Square will serve as an energetic hub at the heart of Speciality & Fine Food Fair 2025, providing a dynamic space for networking, tastings, and round table discussions. Across both days of the Fair, visitors will have the opportunity to explore an extensive range of fine food and drink products, meet the people behind them, and discover new business opportunities.

The programme is structured around a series of guided tastings, each curated by industry leaders and featuring a selection of standout products. Highlights include:

Day One

• Diverse Fine Food Product Tasting (10:15–11:00): Led by Karolina Oleksuik, Internal Account Manager at Diverse Fine Food, featuring Butter Bike, Chilli No. 5, Fairfields Farm, Janda Food, Jiddler’s Tipple, and Living Things.

• Regional Stars Product Tasting (11:15–12:00): Moderated by Holly Shackleton, Editor of Speciality Food Magazine, with Busy Bees Honey Suppliers, Camarthen Ham, and Radnor Preserves.

• Invest Northern Ireland Product Tasting (12:15–13:00): Guided by Michelle Charrington, Food Business Development Director at Invest Northern Ireland, featuring Forest Feast by Kestrel Foods, Clandeboye Yoghurt, Honed Flavours, Thompson’s Tea, Loada Balls, and Melting Pot Fudge.

• Cotswold Fayre Product Tasting (13:15–14:00)

• Dualit Product Tasting (14:15–14:45) Explore Dualit's new range of hot chocolates including 50% Milk Chocolate Chunks, 60% Classic Chocolate Chunks, intense 72% Dark Chocolate Chunks, indulgent Salted Caramel Flavour Milk Chocolate Chunks, creamy Vanilla White Chocolate Chunks and bold Mocha Chocolate Chunks.

Day Two

• Cotswold Fayre Product Tasting (10:15–11:00)

• Invest Northern Ireland Product Tasting (11:15–12:00): Led by Michelle Charrington, Food Business Development Director - Invest Northern Ireland, featuring Basalt Distillery, Crawford’s Rock Seaweed, Fibre Up, Glastry Farm, Poco Picante, and S’more’a’licious.

• Diverse Fine Food Product Tasting (12:15–13:00): Led by Karolina Oleksuik, Internal Account Manager - Diverse Fine Food, featuring Barking Bakery, Bold Bean Co, Le chocolat des Francais, Marsel Delights, SHORE Seaweed, and Virtue Drinks.

• Regional Stars Product Tasting (13:45–14:15): Moderated by Holly Shackleton, Editor of Speciality Food Magazine, featuring Clandeboye Yoghurt, Crawford’s Rock Seaweed, Essence Food, Number 18 Honey, and Zaman Condiments & Sauces.

Invest Northern Ireland commented: "Invest NI is delighted to introduce Regional Stars, Great Taste Award winners, and sustainability champions at the Village Square on 9–10 September. Join us for sampling and hear the stories behind our thriving brands and businesses."

Nicola Woods, Event Manager for Speciality & Fine Food Fair, added: "The Village Square is designed to be more than just a tasting area. It’s a space where buyers, suppliers, and industry experts can connect, share insights, and explore new opportunities in a relaxed, engaging environment. Each session offers not only exceptional products but the stories and expertise behind them, which is what makes the Fair so valuable to our visitors."

The Village Square promises a curated, hands-on experience, making it a must-visit destination for anyone looking to discover fresh products, connect with key suppliers, and gain insight into the trends shaping the UK’s speciality food sector.

Book onto a tasting session here.