lunch! NORTH is back at Manchester Central, promising to be bigger and better than ever.
COMBINED OFFERING
After a hugely successful debut in 2025, lunch! NORTH (sponsored by Uber Eats) returns to Manchester Central on 10-11 March 2026.
Building on the 16-year legacy of the lunch! show, the northern version was created to support the strength of hospitality beyond the capital. Now in its second year, it continues to connect innovative suppliers with leading local, regional and national FTG operators.
Once again co-located with Northern Restaurant & Bar (NRB), the combined offering of both shows creates a unique environment where FTG meets the wider hospitality industry, from cafés and coffee shops to restaurants, pubs and bars. A standout feature of lunch! NORTH is its free-to-attend keynote seminar theatre, with speakers to be announced in February.
“The response to the first lunch! NORTH exceeded expectations,” said group event director, Chris Brazier. “We saw fantastic engagement from exhibitors and buyers alike, which really validated the decision. For 2026, the focus is on bringing in even more quality buyers to do business with our innovative exhibitors and continuing to champion the northern FTG community.
“There’s a real sense of pride, creativity and community in the north. We’re also seeing increasing investment from operators traditionally based in London and the south, which speaks volumes about the strength and opportunity in the northern market. Exhibitors can access real buyers actively looking for new products, concepts and solutions. The show attracts a powerful mix of independent operators and multi-site brands. Add to that the co-location with NRB and exhibitors can also connect with professionals from restaurants, pubs, bars and hotels under one roof.”
THE RIGHT STUFF
Among the first confirmed speakers is Nick Ayerst, GAIL’s managing director, who takes part in a keynote interview on day two. Also, the Coffee Shop Leaders Panel will feature Matt Farrell, co-founder of Bold Street Coffee. While the Marketing Leaders Panel includes Annabel Mackie, marketing director at itsu.
Other big names such as illy cafe, Yorkshire Tea, Simply Lunch, Welbilt, Hip Pop, Lindt, Pip Organic and Vita Coco have also been confirmed, with more to be announced soon – 400 suppliers will be spread across both shows.
“Focused, targeted events are more important than ever. It’s not about trying to be everything to everyone; it’s about serving the FTG and café community properly. Our ambition is for lunch! NORTH to be the definitive annual meeting place for the sector in the north and the success of year one has put us firmly on that path.
“And while attendance matters, relevance matters more. lunch! NORTH attracts the right buyers, people with real purchasing power and genuine intent to discover new suppliers,” concluded Brazier.
Register for free trade tickets at here. Visit lunchnorth.co.uk for more info.