Retail panel confirmed for Northern Ireland Food and Drink Conference

The full list of speakers has been announced including Food Standards Agency Chief Executive Katie Pettifer, retail market expert Dr Clive Black and Invest NI Chair John Healy.

Another new addition to this year’s conference is a retail panel discussion with four major supermarkets joining the conversation. Representatives from Asda, Lidl, Marks & Spencer and Tesco will take part in the discussion, chaired by NIFDA Executive Director, Michael Bell OBE.

Organised by the Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association (NIFDA) and held in partnership with Invest Northern Ireland and the Food Standards Agency, the conference will take place on Tuesday, March 4 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Belfast.

Speaking ahead of the conference, Michael Bell OBE said: “I’m really impressed with our lineup of speakers across the board this year, and I’m confident our retail panel discussion will be a real highlight as we discuss local sourcing, the current consumer and market landscape, and the shared challenge of inflation.

“We don’t think of food and drink manufacturing merely as a standalone industry, but part of an eating ecosystem spanning farming, processing, transport, storage, packaging and retail.

"The Northern Ireland Food and Drink Conference is the eating ecosystem in action – bringing together the food and drink supply chain, together with key representatives from government and academia to network, learn, and reflect on our shared challenges.”

The interactive event will cover areas including investment, growth, sustainability, innovation, retail trends and much more, while also providing delegates with the important opportunity to connect, network and learn industry insights.

Bookings are open, for further information and to secure a place at the event, visit https://nifda.co.uk/nifda-conference-2025/