Walker, who will host an opening day keynote seminar, has been a frequent visitor to lunch! and says the show helps the business “keep abreast of developments”. Whiteside, one of the biggest names in the UK’s food-to-go market, has also “found lunch! extremely valuable” and is delighted to be invited back for 2017.

This year, the trade show for the UK’s £20.2bn food-to-go market takes place at its new venue, ExCeL London, from September 21-22, and, in the in the two weeks since registration opened, nearly 1,500 visitors and VIP buyers have registered to attend.

These include Bartlett Mitchell, BaxterStorey, Booker Group, Brakes, British Airways, Coco di Mama, Coffee Republic, Compass Group, Costco Wholesale, Dhl Airline Catering, EAT, Elior UK, En Route International, Eurostar International, FCB – Artisan Espresso Bars, Gate Gourmet, Greggs, ISS, Legoland Windsor, McDonald's, Merlin Entertainment Group, Metropolitan Police Catering, P&O Ferries, Premier Foods, Pret A Manger, Restaurant Associates, Road Chef and Sodexo, to name a few.

Chris Brazier, lunch!’s group event director, says the new, larger venue of ExCeL London will accommodate more exhibitors, bigger stands, two Keynote theatres, and enable easier navigation for visitors around the busy show floor.

Brazier said: “The move to ExCeL has generated a lot of interest and enthusiasm from across the food-to-go sector. It’s a testament to the show’s continuing success, and demonstrates just how important lunch! has become to suppliers and buyers looking to do business here.

“It’s also given us a fantastic opportunity to fine-tune our popular show features and expand our seminar line-up, extend and modify the floorplan, and refresh the show’s look and feel, all while retaining the unique and vibrant atmosphere which makes lunch! so special. It’s the destination show that our visitors love coming to – only bigger and better than ever for 2017.”