Food & Drink
Published: February 14, 2025 | Updated: 14th February 2025
Food and drink buyers from across the South came to meet local producers and secure deals at the annual Local Produce Trade Show last week.
The show, now in its 17th year, drew 70 exhibitors and more than 300 attendees to the Hilton Southampton at the Utilita Bowl.
It began with a panel discussion led by Natasha Dochniak, commercial manager at Hampshire Fare.
On the panel were Hayley Elston (AKA the Codmother), owner of The Fabulous Catch Company; Peter Morgan, director of The Book and Bucket Cheese; Samantha Blake, retail specialist at Isle of Wight Tomatoes; and Jo Coleman, chief mint officer at Summerdown Farms.
Hayley shared the insight she’d gained from winning the chance to have her fishcakes stocked in Aldi, while Jo said the mint products his company produces are now available from Sydney to San Francisco.
Peter said he’d started his business from scratch and was completely self-taught, with his cheeses now featuring on menus for Cunard.
And Samantha told guests that flavour is still the determining factor for why people choose to buy.
Leigh-Sara Timberlake, group CEO of Business South, said: “We always love getting the producers together for this event.
“It’s such a positive vibe and its brilliant to see business being done.”
The show originally began as a means of encouraging cruise operators departing from Southampton to incorporate local produce into their menus.
Nowadays, Business South works with Hampshire Fare to ensure a rich variety of food and drink from across the region features every year.
Natasha of Hampshire Fare added: “It’s been inspiring to see so many passionate producers showcasing the best of local food and drink here in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight.
“The connections made at the Local Produce Trade Show will help shape the future of our region’s food industry – supporting sustainability, quality and innovation.”
New for 2025 was the Taste of the Central South awards.
Wessex County Gammons won for brand and packaging, Isle of Wight Tomatoes for their standout stand, and dairy producers Otties were crowned ‘taste of the region’.
Leigh-Sara explained of the awards: “We wanted to recognise excellence in our region and highlight the businesses that are going above and beyond.
“Ensuring your brand and packaging are work hard for you is an important element for local producers, and we wanted to reward the exhibitor who’s getting this really right.
“We also wanted to recognise the exhibitor who made their stand look the most enticing, and finally we wanted to mark the taste of the region to celebrate the flavours that are taking the concept of delicious to a new level.”
