About Scotland's Speciality Food & Drink Show
Each January the SEC in Glasgow hosts Scotland's Speciality Food & Drink Show, a trade event that gives food and drink producers direct access to buyers looking for new products for their shelves. It runs alongside Scotland's Trade Fair Spring, which the organiser describes as Scotland's longest-running trade fair, and together they form one of the country's largest retail trade events.
Exhibitors range from small artisan producers and start-ups to established Scottish and UK brands. Categories include cheese and dairy, confectionery, drinks, meat and fish, and jams and preserves, among others. The buyers are drawn from independent retailers, farm shops, delis, garden centres, heritage organisations, tourist attractions and online retailers. The show is not open to the public; access is for registered trade buyers.
The link with Scotland's Trade Fair Spring widens the audience. One free trade registration covers both shows, so buyers from gift shops, visitor attractions and home and gift retail pass through as well. That suits hampers, spirits and giftable food lines in particular. Scotland Food & Drink, the industry body, has partnered with the show.
For producers whose customers are Scotland's independent retailers and tourism businesses, the event puts a large share of them in one place over three days, which is far more efficient than a sales tour. Food stands centre on sampling, so clean counters, secure storage and a clear provenance story usually matter more than size.
Next edition
Scotland's Speciality Food & Drink Show 2027: what to expect
The 2027 show runs from Sunday 24 to Tuesday 26 January at the SEC, Glasgow, alongside Scotland's Trade Fair Spring. The organiser reports that the combined event brings together more than 500 wholesale suppliers.
Because the shows share a single trade registration, buyers often move between food and gift halls, so think about how your products read to a gift or tourism buyer as well as to a deli owner. Sampling at the SEC brings rules on food handling, refrigeration and electrical supply, so check those with the organiser well before the show. A Sunday opening means deliveries and build-up are likely to fall over the preceding weekend.