• [ICDA EXPO — Dairy Connect | Connecting Dairy’s Future]

The trade-only marketplace where dairy business gets done

24-25 JUNE 2026 ·

STAFFORDSHIRE 
COUNTY SHOWGROUND

CONNECTING DAIRY'S FUTURE

  • [About]

The ICDA EXPO is the commercial engine of the International Cheese & Dairy platform. Running alongside the world-renowned ICDA Awards, the EXPO turns recognition into results - bringing together retail buyers, foodservice operators, distributors, technologists and suppliers for two focused days of product discovery, technical problem-solving and networking.


The EXPO is a trade-only exhibition and content programme purpose-built for the cheese & dairy value chain. It curates buyers with intent, suppliers with proof, and content with practical outcomes.


It isn’t a general food & drink exhibition, a packaging event or a consumer tasting; it’s a working exhibition and networking opportunity designed to compress months of outreach into 48 hours of buyer led conversations.


  • [At a glance]

About EXPO 2026

Who the EXPO Serves

Retail: multiples, discounters, premium & convenience buyers, category managers, NPD, quality & packaging.


Foodservice: chefs and menu developers (QSR, casual, contract catering, travel), operations and procurement.


Manufacturing & Supply: dairy brands and producers, artisan makers, ingredients, packaging, processing & filtration, cold-chain, hygiene, testing, data & traceability, logistics, energy & water.


Route-to-market: distributors, importers/exporters, international pavilions and trade bodies.

Why attend


Retail buyers

  • Fast-track range reviews with an Awards-validated Winners’ Showcase.
  • Compare brand vs. own-label propositions, packaging and sustainability claims with real evidence.
  • Leave with a shortlist, contacts and next steps for trials and seasonal features.


Foodservice operators

  • See performance at scale in the Chef’s Kitchen and Menu Lab (melt, stretch, hold, waste).
  • Engineer menus under cost and labour pressure; tighten specs across multi-site estates.
  • Meet distributors and agree adoption timelines on site.


Manufacturers & suppliers

  • Meet qualified buyers via the Hosted Buyer Programme and guided tours.
  • Prove technical advantage (yield, micro, recyclability, energy/water savings) with demos and data.
  • Convert interest through the networking lounge and post-show reporting.

Content with purpose

Every day is designed to unlock a decision:


  • Retail Day One: private label vs. brand, waste reduction,  packaging for recyclability, Scope 3 inputs.


  • Foodservice Day Two: spec consistency, price volatility & menu engineering, hygiene & audit-proof SOPs, cold-chain integrity, logistics traceability.


  • Technical across both days: filtration & yield, energy and water retrofits, LCA truth vs. claims, QA and testing.

Integrity and international access

The EXPO benefits from the ICDA judging platform and awards that underpins trust. Supported by a growing network of ICDA Ambassadors (by country) helping producers enter the Awards, navigate UK expectations and connect portfolios to buyers and export channels.

  • [Agenda]

Join Us in June 2026

24-25 June 2026 ·

Staffordshire County Showground

Day 1

Retail Focus, ICDA Awards & SDT Symposium

  • High-intent retail audience: buyers, category leads, brand owners.


  • ICDA judging of over 4,500 entries throughout the day
  • Main-stage market outlook sets commercial tone and priorities.
  • Retail Theatre tackles margin mix, own label vs brand, promo effectiveness, waste, and shopper personalisation.
  • Technical & Sustainability Theatre discusses targets, filtration and yields.
  • Innovation cadence: retailer spotlights and chef-led retail-ready demos.
  • Structured networking: hosted buyer meetings, networking lunch, curated floor tours.
  • Artisan Showcase


  • Evening SDT Summer Conference dinner consolidates relationships and thought leadership.

Day 2


Foodservice Focus & ICDA Awards Presentation

  • Audience pivot to operators, chefs, distributors and procurement.
  • Foodservice Theatre: dairy ingredients and the impact on menu engineering.
  • Technical & Procurement Theatre: energy/water retrofits, cleaning & audit-proof SOPs, logistics traceability.
  • Chef’s Kitchen converts products into scalable dishes (sauces, pizza performance, desserts).
  • Networking: hosted buyer meetings, Buyers’ Tasting opportunities, Artisan Showcase.
  • Awards Drinks Reception and ICDA Awards Presentation, media opportunities and EXPO close.

Reserve your spot at the intersection of cheese, dairy, retail and foodservice.

Contact Us