Belfast Plays Host to Titanic CRG Conference
Having run for over 25 years, this year’s CRG annual trade exhibition and conference took place at the ICC and Titanic Museum in Belfast
The Country Range Group’s annual trade exhibition and conference, which took place in June, attracted 500 delegates and 100-plus suppliers who helped the company to kick-start its summer plans.
Having run for over 25 years, the event now forms a key part of CRG’s calendar and this year it took place at Belfast’s ICC and iconic Titanic Museum. The main theme was ‘Focus on Foodservice’ and it celebrated great food and industry innovation, while also giving a nod to Belfast's rich culture.
The Exhibition
The event provided a vital hub for groundbreaking insights, networking and innovation, with over £4.3 million worth of orders being placed on the day. There were over 100 foodservice exhibitors, including both major brands and small suppliers, such as Agristo, Belazu, Flora Professional, KP Snacks, Mademoiselle, Nestle Professional, Radnor Hills, Rich Sauces, Tayto Group and Unilever Food Solutions.
Delegates were able to examine over a thousand products that were specifically designed for chefs and caterers across the foodservice sector, while also enjoying a host of live demonstrations, on-trend ingredients and samples from around the world.
The Country Range stand was transformed into an elegant culinary showcase, featuring a sophisticated chef's table experience inspired by the grandeur of the Titanic, thus providing the perfect backdrop to present the company’s latest own-brand products. The focus of the stand was the highly anticipated finale of the Signature by Country Range competition. This exciting initiative invited every member wholesaler to contribute their own signature recipe, with the final two entries battling it out to be crowned Signature Champion!
Meanwhile, the Winter Wonderland display captured the magic of the approaching festive season, showcasing the 2025 Group-supported Christmas product range.
Conference
At the accompanying conference, chief executive Martin Ward provided a business update during which he welcomed the newest members to the Group and revealed that members of CRG are now serving over 44,000 customers a month with over 250,000 monthly deliveries. He also outlined CRG’s ambition to achieve a £1.5 billion turnover by 2028.
Ward also provided an update on the launch of the Authenticate platform which is already beginning to deliver improved operational efficiencies and enhanced supply chain visibility for the CRG’s members.
In addition, he shared updates on the Group’s expanded own-brand range, the positive impact of the increased presence of the brands at member customer events and the successful launch of the Signature by Country Range brand in April. Ward added that across the industry, 62% of chefs say they regularly use own brands, with 45% willing to use more in the next 12 months, thus highlighting the fantastic opportunity for the Group’s own brand portfolio.
It was also announced that the Country Range brand will be a headline sponsor for the 2025/2026 Springboard FutureChef competition, building on the success of the Country Range Student Chef Challenge to support emerging culinary talent.
Finally, Ward shared that development is already underway for the Group's next three to five year strategic roadmap once its current strategy ends in 2026.
In a difference to previous years, the conference attendees were also provided with a market update from TWC’s Tanya Pepin, an interesting Belfast panel and a CRG member panel comprising Edward Munro of Country Valley, David Cattrall of Harlech Foodservice, Julie Dunn of Dunns and Carla Van Barneveld of Europ Foods, who discussed the future of foodservice and the successful navigation of the challenges of the industry.
The most anticipated announcement was the reveal of the venue for this year’s prestigious ‘An Evening with CRG’ member and supplier awards evening, which will be held at the National Portrait Gallery in London this December.
Gala Dinner and evening entertainment
The evening entertainment took place at the Titanic Museum, where attendees were able to relax and let their hair down following a long but successful day. A charity raffle took place throughout the evening with attendees raising over £7000 for The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation and the Mines Advisory Group.
Commenting on the event, Martin Ward says: “This year it has been nothing short of spectacular. From the incredible energy on the exhibition floor to the insightful panels and dazzling gala dinner, it was a truly unforgettable occasion. The enthusiasm and innovation on display show just how bright the future of foodservice is – and we’re proud to be right at the heart of it.”
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