Top 10 Food + Drink Products: IFE 2024

Published 26 March 2024

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4 min read

This year’s International Food & Drink Event (IFE, March 25-27) in London was bursting with exciting product innovations across the food and drink landscape. From bamboo water and taco fillers to turmeric sriracha sauce and chocolate miso ice cream, a cacophony of flavours delighted visitors. We pick 10 standout products to watch.

Juno Bamboo Water: Used for centuries as a herbal remedy to heal the body and mind, bamboo is now leveraged to quench thirst. UK-based beverage brand Juno presents its line of canned bamboo waters in zingy packaging that evokes flavours used in the drinks. Varieties include Zesty Yuzu, Juicy Mango and Passion Fruit (the latter being a new edition).

Juno Bamboo Water

Quarterpast: New Zealand-based beverage brand Quarterpast debuted its new caffeinated energy concentrates, designed to be added to beverages like lemonades and slushies. Flavours include Tropical, Gold Kiwi, Apple & Lime and Watermelon. “The younger generations want caffeine but in a non-traditional way: they want cold caffeine. They also want caffeinated beverages that don’t taste like coffee,” explained brand representative David Wilcock.
Arthouse Unlimited: UK-based charity Arthouse Unlimited’s booth was awash with colour at IFE, displaying an array of brightly hued confectionery products. All the brand’s packaging is created by individuals with neurodiverse and physical support needs, and new designs are continually introduced to keep the ranges fresh and giftable.

Quarterpast

Arthouse Unlimited

Quarterpast

Arthouse Unlimited

Keep Keto: Australian food company Keep Keto delighted visitors with its keto-friendly crackers and condiments, designed for followers of the keto regime as well as anyone looking to control their sugar intake. Created by a pharmacist, the brand uses only clean ingredients. “They’re ingredients you can find in your pantry,” founder Katherine Kwee said.

Keep Keto

Pekis: Leaning into Gen Zers’ desire for ethnic and spicy fare, Spanish food brand Pekis for Foodies’ taco fillers come in tantalising flavours, including Pollo Tikka Masala, Chicken Teriyaki and Chili Sin Carne (for the veggies). The fillings are best heated up and then loaded into a taco, on their own or with additional fillings.

Pekis

Yee Kwan: UK-based gluten-free ice cream brand Yee Kwan (a successful Dragon’s Den candidate) offers handcrafted Pan-Asian ice cream flavours, available in 100ml tubs or as a 12-piece tasting flight. These include Taro, Vietnamese Coffee and Chocolate Miso. Meanwhile, the Dragon Fruit sorbet was released to celebrate Year of the Dragon. This aligns with the trend of mainstreaming Asian flavours for western audiences through commercial product development.

Yee Kwan

Crying Thaiger: Thai condiments brand Crying Thaiger showcased its sriracha chilli sauces, infused with a range of exciting flavours, including Wasabi, Turmeric, Ketchup, Mustard, and Teriyaki. The products tap into the boom we’re seeing in premium condiments that can be used to level up a simple dish. The brand is imported into the EU by Netherlands-based Beagley Copperman.

Crying Thaiger

Pergola: British alcohol brand Pergola showed off its new canned session cocktails (low-alcohol tipples) – designed for summer, parties, picnics and at-home chilling. The line includes a Margarita with mint and yuzu and a Tequila & Tonic with vanilla and cinnamon.
Good Phats: Clad in dramatic black packaging, Good Phats’ range of oils include Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Virgin Avocado Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Organic C8 MCT Oil. All products have tasting notes printed on their labels. For example, C8 MCT Oil is described as “creamy, smooth, neutral”.

Good Phats

2024

We believe in a world where fats are revered, not feared. Where a dousing of oil is the norm, and a light drizzle isn’t. A world where fatty acids are discussed not bemused. Where the smoking point is understood and not just a hipster comment at a summer BBQ.

Pergola

Good Phats

Pergola

Good Phats

Milkis: South Korean beverage brand Milkis, by South Korean FMCG company Lotte Chilsung, spotlighted its Strawberry, Original and Banana flavoured cream soda drinks. The carbonated drinks straddle both fruity and milky tasting notes. The Milkis brand is managed by British wholesale supplier of Asian foods Asco Foods.

Milkis