Food and drink businesses across the Winchester region are being given the opportunity to meet with dozens of leading hospitality and retail buyers looking for unique produce to stock or serve.
This region is one of the UK’s leading foodie destinations, with its success driven in no small part by local producers. The Central South Food & Drink Trade EXPO, organised by Business South, is designed to support that success and foster an environment for growth.
The EXPO will bring together producers from across Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, West Sussex, and Dorset with influential trade buyers who can see and taste their produce and hear their stories. Buyers from the cruise and hospitality industry, including major names such as Carnival, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, The Winchester Hotel & Spa, and Marwell Zoo, are already signed up for the show, alongside producers including Lyburn Farmhouse Cheesemakers, 820 Spirits, and Moon Roast Coffee.
“Local producers are in a unique and exciting position in today’s food and drink market,” says Leigh-Sara Timberlake, CEO of Business South. “They are passionate about quality, locality, provenance, sustainability, and ethical practices. These are increasingly the drivers for buying decisions for supermarkets, farm shops, eateries, chefs, hotels, and delis. It’s a significant opportunity for our local businesses, and we want to make the most of that for them. This Trade EXPO is a unique chance for businesses to forge relationships and secure commercial contracts that support our local food community.”
The Central South Food & Drink Trade EXPO is being held at the Hilton at the Utilita Bowl, Southampton, on Tuesday 10 February 2026. It has been organised by Business South in association with partners including Hampshire Fare, Carnival UK, Cavendish Ships Stores, Polymedia PR and marketing, and Hilton Southampton Utilita Bowl.
Local food and drink producers who would like to exhibit at the show can find more details at The Business South website: businesssouth.org/events/central-south-food-drink-trade-expo-exhibitors
