Compass Group UK & Ireland has marked the 25th anniversary of British Food Fortnight with a reception at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, hosted in partnership with Love British Food and WineGB.
Held at LEX, Liverpool Experience Campus, a partner venue of Compass Group’s sports and entertainment business Levy UK & Ireland, the event brought together representatives from food, farming, hospitality and public policy.
Dame Angela Eagle, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, delivered the keynote address, focusing on British food and drink, employment and career opportunities across the sector.
Guests were served a menu inspired by the four nations of the UK and created by the Levy team at LEX.
Dishes included crisp black pudding with Bramley apple purée, braised wild venison with blackberry compote and chalk stream trout with Maris Piper potato salad.
Dessert was provided through a build-your-own crumble station featuring Armagh Bramley apple, British berries, Williams pear and Coe’s Golden Drop plum. British wines supplied through WineGB were served alongside local beer and soft drinks.
The event also focused on skills, training and routes into employment within hospitality and foodservice.
Guests heard from people who had returned to employment through supported employment programmes, alongside details of a partnership between LEX, Levy and the LFC Foundation supporting routes into careers in hospitality and foodservice.
Dame Angela Eagle, Secretary of State, DEFRA, said: “I’d like to thank Love British Food and Compass Group for bringing us together to celebrate the 25th anniversary of British Food Fortnight. There is no better example than food of an industry that can drive growth in every postcode. It is one of the few sectors that touches every community across the country.”
Lucy Hunt, Corporate Affairs and ESG Director at Compass Group UK & Ireland, said: “British Food Fortnight is a celebration not only of the exceptional food and drink produced across the UK, but also of the people behind it. From farmers and producers to chefs and front-of-house teams, our sector reaches into every community, supporting jobs, skills and opportunity. The evening brought that contribution to life and showed what is possible when people are given the encouragement and support to build confidence, develop their talents and create lasting careers in hospitality.”
Alexia Robinson, Founder, Love British Food, said: “This was a joyful celebration of 25 years of British Food Fortnight and of the extraordinary food produced across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It was wonderful to bring together people from farming, food, hospitality and public life to recognise the farmers, fishermen, growers, food makers and frontline teams who feed the nation. Events like this turn support for British food into action, helping to showcase its quality and diversity, strengthen connections across the supply chain and inspire more people to choose British.”
British Food Fortnight runs from 26 September to 11 October 2026 and celebrates the farmers, growers, fishermen, producers and hospitality professionals working across the UK’s food and drink sector.
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