Our comprehensive guide to exhibiting at IFE 2025
Make the most out of your exhibition stand at IFE 2025
17 – 19 March 2025, ExCeL London
IFE 2025 hosted at ExCeL London, is the must–attend event for brand owners and manufacturers looking to showcase products to buyers, find new routes to market and expand distribution across the UK and beyond.
Read on for a taste of what’s in store at this unmissable event.
Need a price for your IFE 2025 exhibition stand?
The International Food & Drink Event, more commonly known as IFE, is the largest and longest-running food and drink event in London. As part of Food, Drink and Hospitality Week, it runs alongside five major industry ExCeL shows. If you want your brand or product to be discovered, exhibiting here will get you noticed.
Over 3 days, 30,000 visitors from 105 countries are expected to attend. You can connect with buyers from wholesale and distribution, food service and hospitality, retail, and manufacturing – all seeking exciting new suppliers. The show will be packed with influential decision-makers from brands like Bidfood, Boparan Restaurant, Compass Group, Graze, Greene King, Holland & Barrett and Marks & Spencer.
Planning to exhibit? Why not enter the prestigious World Food Innovation Awards to put your product in the spotlight and raise your profile.
Join the exhibitor list and stand beside the biggest names in the industry!
First, decide what you want to achieve at IFE 2025 and weigh this against the cost of exhibiting. A stand at ExCeL London requires significant investment, so plan carefully to ensure it will deliver the results you need.
Next, plan your budget. You need funds to cover the floor space and the display itself. Try to strike a balance between booth size and atmosphere to leave a lasting impression on your ideal customers without overspending.
Think about how you’re going to showcase your food and drink products. Cooking demos and working kitchens are a huge draw for visitors, but need to be carefully managed. You’ll require experienced exhibition stand builders to guide you through logistics, health & safety, and event paperwork.
Have you thought about who you want to connect with at this show? Is your goal to walk away with 50 solid leads to follow up with later, or to meet 10 key decision-makers who’ll buy right there and then? Whatever your aim, set a clear target so you can measure your success and learn from the experience.
Finally, you need to put together a clear exhibition brief, especially important if you’re working with a stand-building partner like us. A great brief keeps everyone organised and working towards the same vision, essential even if you’re project managing everything yourself.
We’ve helped small and medium brands, niche specialists, and big names who’ve all had that “Where do I start?” moment. That’s why we made our game-changing guide to the perfect exhibition stand brief. Download your free copy below.
Get your IFE 2025 off to the best possible start by writing a perfect stand brief.
With 82% of visitors being buyers, you need to put your product centre stage and make the sales process as smooth as possible. We’ve seen clients secure lucrative deals before the show has even ended.
Our advice? Don’t skimp on your stand planning. If you want to showcase your food products properly – best done with live demos – make sure you have the power and water resources to bring your creative vision to life. We handle these logistics on behalf of our clients, and it’s one of the things they most appreciate.
David Hennessy, Motive Exhibitions Managing Director
We’re making quite a name for ourselves for food and drink companies who need eye-catching exhibition stands that leave a lasting impression.
Whether you need a fully working kitchen or a row of ice-cold display cabinets, we’re a dab hand at keeping your products at their best throughout the show.
Every stand we create is one-of-a-kind, carefully designed to highlight what makes your brand unique, and attract your ideal customers.
We’ll work with you to build a space that’s inspiring and memorable, crafting an immersive experience that’ll have your visitors coming back for more.
Make your IFE 2025 goals a reality with a Motive Exhibitions stand.
Stand options for IFE 2025
ExCeL London is one of Europe’s most dynamic exhibition venues. With a variety of flexible floorplan options, the sky’s the limit when we design your perfect stand.
Check out the stand types on offer for IFE 2025 and get ready to make an impact.
Bespoke exhibition stands – or ‘custom’ exhibition stands – are designed specifically for your event and built around your brand’s unique goals and needs.
A bespoke option offers that all-important creative flexibility at lively events where you may need space to store, cook, display and demonstrate your product.
Holding a lot of kit on a stand, whilst keeping the design looking sleek and spacious takes a unique set of problem-solving skills (which we have in abundance!).
The beauty of modular exhibition stands is their flexibility. We’ve designed a huge range of high-impact modular stands that have wowed ExCeL and IFE visitors over the years.
Modular stands are the ideal choice if you’re not yet ready to invest in a permanent stand or don’t have the space to store one between events.
Shell scheme exhibition stands are typically compact and budget-friendly.
While smaller, these stands offer plenty of room for creativity. With the right design, a shell scheme can be just as creative and immersive as any larger setup.
If you’re new to exhibiting, or want to test the waters at IFE 2025, this could be the perfect option for you.
Exhibition stand hire
If your 2025 event plans aren’t finalised yet and you’re not ready to commit to a permanent stand, our exhibition hire service is the perfect solution.
Some clients go all in and rent the entire stand, while others prefer to rent smaller pieces, like furniture. You can even create a unique look by mixing custom-made elements with rented items in a hybrid setup.
Hiring is a cost-effective and sustainable option, especially if this is your first big show—it’s definitely worth considering
Can’t decide which stand option is best?
Everything you need to know about exhibiting at the ExCel, London
ExCeL London is one of the world’s top exhibition centres – and it’s not hard to see why. With the ability to accommodate up to 70,000 visitors and hosting over 4 million guests annually, this venue is seriously impressive.
We love working here. It’s just 90 minutes from our office off the A1, the perfect location since we set up stands here almost every week!
ExCeL sits in the heart of a major redevelopment in London’s historic docklands, offering a massive 100,000m² of floor space spread across two huge event halls, an outdoor area, and multiple conference suites. A little tip: the central walkway, ‘The Boulevard,’ stretches for a whopping 600 metres – so make sure you’re wearing your comfiest shoes.
Getting there is easy. ExCeL has excellent transport links by road, rail, boat, and air. It’s just a short hop from London City Airport, with three DLR stations, its own Elizabeth Line station, and loads of bus routes. Central London is only 15 minutes away by public transport, and there are 3,000 parking spaces available via the A13.
You’ll also find hotels and restaurants for every budget, right on the venue’s doorstep. A huge variety of bars, restaurants, and hotels are just steps away from the entrance.
And don’t forget hi-vis vests for your team. You won’t be allowed into the venue on setup days without one!
Pros of exhibiting at ExCeL London:
- 100,000m² of flexible space, perfect for large and creative setups.
- Excellent transport links make it one of the most accessible venues in the UK.
- 19 hotels on-site or just a short walk away.
- Easy access for vehicles and equipment during setup and breakdown.
- On-site support for catering, rigging, and audiovisual services.
- A wide range of restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, and bars on the premises.
- Waste removal teams keep the venue and show floors clean daily.
- Ample parking for over 3,000 vehicles.
Cons of exhibiting at ExCeL London:
- Floorspace is among the most expensive in the country.
- Additional charges for rigging, internet, and logistics can add up quickly.
- On-site parking costs £25 per day, so factor this into your budget.
- Food and drink prices can be high.
- Popular spaces fill up fast, so early booking is essential.
- With the venue’s size, double-check access points to avoid long walks with your equipment.
Don’t fancy the logistical hassle of building your own stand at IFE London?
“They are adaptable, innovative, very helpful and really understand the demands of food exhibitions, especially those where we cook and sample on the stand.
“The design nous is exceptional as well.”
Scrocchiarella – Read our case study here
Clients we work with
We’d love to hear from you
Simply fill in the below, and we will be in touch
FAQs
Do you have any other clients exhibiting at IFE 2025?
Yes! We are very experienced in food and drink shows, so we’ll have many stands at this show too.
We’ve had multiple clients exhibit at IFE at London ExCel for several years, and many of them have already signed up for IFE based on the success of previous shows. Others have already booked space at The Pub Show and HRC which is taking place at ExCeL at the same time as part of Food, Drink & Hospitality Week.
But don’t think that means you won’t get excellent service: all of our clients get the same level of project management and logistical support whether we’ve worked with them before or are brand new.
Can I have a fully functioning kitchen on my stand at IFE 2025?
Yes, you can. We specialise in building fully equipped kitchens, complete with sinks, running water, freezers, display areas, and spaces for cooking and demonstrations. Plus, we have excellent connections for sourcing kitchen equipment.
Don’t just take our word for it — check out case studies from our work with Destiny Foods, Scrocchiarella, Joe & Sephs, Synergy Grill, and NEXTERA®.
What’s the cost of an exhibition stand?
The cost of your exhibition stand depends on several factors:
- The size of the space you’ve booked.
- Whether it’s a one-off event or you need a stand that can be reused and reconfigured.
- Your goals for the exhibition.
- Whether you’re hiring or purchasing the stand.
We’ll always work closely with you to design a stand that fits your budget.
Is it easier to just hire a stand?
It all depends on your goals. Some of the most common reasons people choose to hire a stand include:
- They don’t have space to store a stand.
- They want to experiment with new ideas and concepts.
- They’re new to exhibiting and want to try it out.
- They don’t exhibit enough to justify the cost of owning a stand.
- Different teams within the company exhibit regularly and need to update the stand’s graphics frequently.
- They are looking at more sustainable ways to exhibit.
As a general rule, if you’re exhibiting more than three times a year, owning a stand is likely to be more cost-effective.
What makes a bespoke exhibition stand effective?
A good custom exhibition stand reflects your brand’s values and business objectives, aligning with your goals for whichever event you’re exhibiting at.
To achieve this, we need to understand what you want us to create – this comes from the exhibition stand brief.
An effective custom exhibition stand showcases your brand’s values and is tailored to meet your business objectives for the event.
To get this right, we first need to understand your vision, which starts with a clear exhibition stand brief.
Where is IFE 2025 in London?
IFE is the largest and most established food and drink event in the world. In 2025, it will be at ExCeL London.
Can you help transport our supplies to ExCeL London?
Yes! We know that carrying brochures, iPads, and products can be a hassle – especially if you’re using public transport.
If you choose to work with us, we’ll handle all your supplies for the exhibition hall. Just drop everything off a few days in advance, and we’ll transport it with your stand, so you only need to bring your suitcase!
Absolutely! We know how tricky it can be to carry display materials, merchandise, tech equipment, and products to a venue.
If you work with us, we’ll take care of all your essential supplies. Simply drop everything off a few days before the event, and we’ll transport it with your stand. All you need to bring is yourself!
Motive Exhibitions, 3 Orion Court, Ambuscade Road, Colmworth Business Park, Eaton Socon, St. Neots, PE19 8YX
