The More Than Only Food & Drink campaign brought the diversity, quality and authenticity of EU food and drink products to the UK Food & Drink Shows at the NEC Birmingham on 13-15 April 2026. Through live tastings, cooking demonstrations and an expert-led speaking session, the campaign connected with UK retailers, distributors, foodservice professionals and industry stakeholders, with a particular focus on European bakery and meat products.
Located within the Food & Drink Expo area, the campaign stand showcased 65 products from all 27 EU Member States, including 14 Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) products, 13 Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) products and nine organic products. Visitors had the opportunity to discover a wide range of speciality bakery and meat products alongside complementary pairings, highlighting the richness of Europe’s food heritage and quality schemes.
A series of live cooking demonstrations led by Bakery Advisor Simon Atkins and Campaign Ambassador Mike Knowlden encouraged attendees to experience EU products first-hand through tastings and serving ideas tailored to the UK market. Featured products included:
Brioche Vendéenne PGI from France,
Cantuccini Toscani PGI from Italy,
Nürnberger Lebkuchen PGI from Germany
Hořické trubičky PGI from Czechia
Organic Grass-Fed Irish Beef, and
Dalmatinski Pršut PGI from Croatia.
Across the four demonstrations, attendees engaged directly with the products while learning more about their origins, authenticity and production methods.
The campaign also hosted a speaking session titled How Europe’s PDO and PGI Bakery Products Can Strengthen the UK Bakery Market – and What UK Retailers Want to See from Europe. The session explored growing consumer demand for provenance, transparency and trusted quality labels, while demonstrating how EU bakery products can offer UK businesses authentic, high-quality and differentiated options.
Participants surveyed at the event responded very positively to the presentations. All speaking session participants reported a full understanding of PDO, PGI and Organic certification schemes after attending, while 100% stated that their perception of lesser-known EU bakery products had improved. In addition, an overwhelming majority (88%) of stand visitors said their perception of EU bakery and meat products had improved following their visit.
Through direct interaction, expert insight and product discovery, the More Than Only Food & Drink campaign once again demonstrated the value of EU food and drink products for the UK market, reinforcing the EU’s position as a trusted partner for businesses seeking quality, authenticity and innovation.
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