Top Tips for IFE Success!

Ready to stand out at IFE? With over 30,000 visitors eager to discover the latest in food and drink innovation, this event is your chance to shine and drive brand recognition! To make the most of your presence, there are some key things to get right—because let’s be honest, just showing up isn’t enough.

Since 2007, Tecna UK have worked with brands to deliver impactful and meaningful displays that wow the crowd. To help you on your way to exhibition success, We’ve compiled some essential tips to maximize your exhibiting experience at IFE. Let’s make your debut unforgettable, for all the right reasons.

Define your exhibiting goals

Start with clarity! Before you even start thinking about stand design, get crystal clear on your goals. Are you here to generate leads, increase brand awareness, launch a product, or something else entirely? Defining what success looks like to you from the start will guide your decisions—and ensure you have something measurable to celebrate afterwards!

Set a realistic budget

Securing your space is just the beginning. Avoid the temptation to overspend on a large booth; instead, create a realistic budget that covers every aspect of exhibiting.

Allocate funds to your stand design, flooring, furniture, lighting, activations, giveaways, marketing materials, and even transportation requirements. You can even speak to your trusted stand designer to help you with choosing the best floor space for your budget.

Choose a stand service that suits your needs

First impressions matter, and your stand is the face of your brand for the entire event. It needs to be eye-catching, functional, and aligned with your brand identity.

Research suppliers and narrow down services that give you the best result for your investment. Don’t just focus on cost, choose suppliers that you trust will deliver a fantastic display, on time and issue free. You can even invest in a fully managed service to ensure all aspects are managed by a single team.

Don’t forget to arrange power for your appliances and consider renting equipment like fridges from the show organiser for convenience. Looking for inspiration? Check out our favourite food and rink exhibition stand creations!

Consider the time and expertise required to set up and dismantle the stand. Portable and pop-up stands offer quick assembly, while custom and double-decker stands may need professional assistance, increasing setup time and costs.

Know your competition

Identify your direct competitors by checking the exhibitor list. Look at their floor space, where they’re positioned, and what their brand and product offerings are. This gives you a peek at what they’re likely to look like to help you set your brand apart and enhance your own identity through colour, messaging and imagery.

Maximise show opportunities

Unlock the full potential of exhibiting at IFE by using the show resources available to you. Gain more exposure and easily reach your target audience by looking through the show program for any opportunities including speaking or sponsorships options. 

IFE is part of Food Drink & Hospitality Week, uniting IFE with IFE Manufacturing, The Pub Show, HRC and International Salon Culinaire for the UK's biggest celebration of industry innovation. The best part? They are all co-located, meaning you can reach larger audiences from a range of specialisms.

Enhance the promotion of your brand by entering one of the many award categories in the World Food Innovation Awards. Gain global recognition in one of the most established awards schemes in the industry.

Book your travel

London exhibition venues like ExCeL have a huge selection of transportation options for the show. However, to make sure you’re in budget and organised for the show it’s vital to pre-plan how you, your team and even your show materials are getting to and from the venue. Whether it’s plane, train or automobile – plan ahead to reduce any issues on the day.

Staying nearby overnight? Book accommodations early to secure the best rates, focusing on proximity to the venue or transport links for easy access..

Research food and drink options

Don’t let your team go hungry amidst the excitement! It’s well worth making a list of nearby coffee shops, supermarkets and lunch options so that your team are well prepared with options, especially if they have any dietary requirements. Some of our favourites are Tapa Tapa, Zero Sette and The Fox which are all right next door. There are also plenty of options within the ExCeL if you’re looking for a quick bite to eat. 

For networking dinners, reserve your table in advance to avoid last-minute scrambles. You can even head to Canary Wharf for masses of options and cuisines!

Brief your team

Once you have picked your team for IFE, get everyone together to brief them a few weeks before the show. Provide some clarity on why you’re exhibiting, explain your show objectives and remind them of any rules while on the stand (e.g. dress code, mobile phone ban etc.). Ask for their input as well to foster motivation and investment in the show’s success.

Be selective with giveaways

Giveaways, marketing materials and merch are used in exhibitions to promote your brand long after attendees have visited your stand. Take time to look for useful and engaging gifts that work with your price range – usually the best kind of giveaways capture your brand perfectly and delight the crowd. As a hub for the latest innovations across food and drink, it’s well worth considering using food and drink samples or miniatures related to your business. It’s also not a bad idea to encourage a social media opportunity to reach a wider audience. 

Sustainability is of huge importance in many industries – if you’re opting for a sustainable exhibition stand why not also consider your giveaways? There are a range of angles to approach this including sourcing options that are biodegradable, recycled or recyclable. It’s also worth avoiding single use items and considering whether your giveaways will be useful to attendees for years to come.

Are you prepared for IFE?

Whether you’re new to exhibiting at IFE or have participated for many years, there’s always something you can do to refine your exhibition plans. Exhibiting is one of the most powerful ways to showcase your brand, engage with new audiences, and create lasting impressions .

With these must-know tips in your back pocket, you’ll be ready to navigate your first exhibition with confidence and success.

If you’re looking to make a splash at your next event, or if you need help designing the perfect stand, we’d love to chat! At Tecna UK, we turn ideas into extraordinary experiences—so let’s make your exhibition unforgettable.

Author

Mandy Wooster

Head of Marketing, Tecna UK

Mandy Wooster has worked in the exhibition and events industry for over 20 years running exhibitions in Barcelona, China, Australia, UAE and the US for organisers such as RX Global. She has extensive experience in marketing, content, commercial and VIP buyer roles and is a double winner of the EXHIBITION NEWS ‘Best International Trade Show’ award.