lunch! NORTH

Attendees, exhibitors & solutions

Who this event is for

Industry trends

Key trends shaping this market and its wider industry.

Market news

Latest updates from across the market.

Hotel tiers

A range of accommodation options near the venue and across key areas.

Local transport

Get around the city with these convenient transport options.

Frequently asked

Glossary

1

Food-to-go (FTG)

Prepared food and drinks sold for immediate consumption away from home, including chilled sandwiches, salads, hot snacks, bakery, and coffee. At Lunch North, this is the core buying category across convenience, forecourt, grocery, coffee, and foodservice.

2

Meal deal

A bundled lunch offer combining a main, snack, and drink at a set price. Convenience retailers, supermarkets, and forecourt operators use meal deals to drive lunchtime footfall and to compare supplier margins.

3

Chill chain

The temperature-controlled path from production through distribution and display to sale, typically holding chilled food-to-go at 0-5 C. Exhibitors show packaging, refrigeration, and logistics that protect shelf-life and food safety.

4

HACCP

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, the food-safety management system used by manufacturers, kitchens, and retailers to identify and control biological, chemical, and physical risks.

5

Natasha's Law

The UK allergen-labelling requirement for prepacked for direct sale food, introduced after the death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse. It requires full ingredient and allergen labelling on items such as sandwiches made and packed on site.

6

PPDS

Prepacked for direct sale food, packed on the premises where it is sold. In food-to-go, this covers many made-on-site sandwiches, salads, and bakery items and triggers specific UK allergen labelling duties.

7

Planogram

A visual merchandising layout showing where products sit on shelf or in a chilled display. Food-to-go suppliers and retailers use planograms to optimise lunchtime impulse sales and consistent store execution.

8

Grab-and-go

A fixture or range designed for fast customer selection without staff service, common in convenience stores, forecourts, transport hubs, and coffee shops.

9

QSR

Quick Service Restaurant, a foodservice format built around fast ordering and minimal table service. QSR operators buy food-to-go ranges, packaging, and kitchen equipment at the show.

10

Shelf-life

The period a food-to-go product remains safe and saleable under stated storage conditions. Extended shelf-life is a major buying criterion for sandwiches, salads, and chilled snacks.

11

EPR

Extended Producer Responsibility, the UK packaging producer responsibility regime that charges producers for packaging placed on the market. Food-to-go brands and retailers review packaging weight, recyclability, and fees.

12

Deposit Return Scheme (DRS)

A UK-wide scheme for returning drinks containers for a deposit refund, relevant to food-to-go drinks, packaging, and reverse-vending equipment.

13

Waste-adjusted margin

The margin left after accounting for unsold or wasted food-to-go stock. Buyers use it to compare short-shelf-life ranges and promotional plans.

14

Allergen matrix

A document that maps ingredients and the 14 regulated allergens across a menu or product range, used by food-to-go operators to train staff and label accurately.