Country Range Group brought the flavour to ICC Belfast for its 25th annual trade exhibition and conference, CRG Belfast 2025, marking Northern Ireland’s official debut as host.
Organised by Associate Events with a theme of ‘focused on foodservice’, the event gathered over 500 delegates and more than 100 exhibitors for a feast for the senses, celebrating great food, industry innovation and Belfast’s rich culture and warm hospitality.
Country Range Group showcased the full scale of its operation by taking over multiple spaces within ICC Belfast, transforming each space into a unique environment that told a different part of their story.
- Attendees
- 600
- Event Type
- Conference and Exhibition
- Space Used
- Hall 1, Hall 2 and Level 1 and Riverside Foyer
PLATING UP THE EXPERIENCE
Delegates arrived to begin the CRG Belfast culinary experience on Riverside Foyer for registration. Surrounded by Country Range Group branding and flag stands representing each of their gold-standard wholesalers, they were welcomed before heading upstairs to explore what was next on the menu.
Hall 1 was transformed into an exhibition display, showcasing a huge range of suppliers from major to small brands each with product offerings specifically designed for chefs and caterers across the foodservice world.
As the event transitioned into the afternoon, delegates made their way to Hall 2 for the conference portion of the programme with Level 1 acting as a central hub between the two. The multi-zone approach allowed each space to serve its own purpose and become an immersive journey rather than just a showcase whilst still maintaining the Country Range brand throughout - a true reflection of how the brand operates day to day.
FROM CONCEPT TO KITCHEN
With such an array of exhibitors on display, delegates had a huge variety of food suppliers to meet including, Agristo, Belazu, Flora Professional, KP Snacks, Nestle Professional, Rich Sauces, Tayto Group Ltd and Unilever Food Solutions to name a few.
Each offered their own interactive edge for attendees, from live demonstrations, fun activities and games, on-trend recipes and ingredients and endless samples sourced globally for all to enjoy.
The Country Range Group went all out to showcase the brand within their exhibition display including a sophisticated chef’s table experience centred around the Signature by Country Range popular competition. This was an initiative that invited every member wholesaler to share their own signature recipe with the final two going head-to-head to be crowned Signature Champion. A Winter Wonderland stand was also present which encapsulated the magic of the December festivities and showcased the 2025 Group-supported Christmas product range.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
During the conference, delegates heard from Martin Ward, Chief Executive of Country Range Group who provided a detailed business update, unpacking the Group growth and vision, welcoming new members and the impact they are making of serving 44,000 customers and handling over 250,000 deliveries a month and emphasising their target to achieve £1.5bn by 2028. He also addressed Technology Investment, Brand Development, Country Range Sponsorship and announced Strategic Planning is in place for the next 3-5 years ahead of the current strategy ending in 2026.
This year’s conference also included a market update from Tanya Pepin at TWC and thought-provoking panel discussions around the Future of Foodservice and navigating potential challenges within the industry. This featured, Edward Munro of Country Valley, David Cattrall of Harlech Foodservice, Julie Dunn of Dunns and Carla Van Barneveld of Europ Foods.
To give back, any stock and samples remaining from the day were donated to Fareshare, a Northern Ireland project by Homeless Connect which was a special touch from an already rewarding event.
COOKING UP CONNECTIONS
One of the standout elements of this event was the vibrant atmosphere that filled the venue. Food has a unique way of bringing people together to create a warm, homely and welcoming environment. This is something ICC Belfast prides itself in being able to cater for. With people at the heart of everything we do, we strive to deliver experiences that exceed expectations and create lasting impressions.
Seen as the perfect environment for groundbreaking insights, networking and innovation, over £4.3m in orders were placed on the day.
TASTING THE RESULTS
Alister de Ternant, Managing Director, Associate Events (AE) reflected on the success of the event and the ICC Belfast team:
”Thank you all, for the little and large that you all did to make the last few days as much of a success as they were."
Charlie McCloskey, Director of Events and Customer Experience, ICC Belfast said:
“It was a privilege to host CRG Belfast 2025. Food exhibitions of this size and scale bring a completely different dynamic to our space - the vibrant colours, the aromas, and the buzz of producers and visitors connecting.”
By becoming a trusted partner of their team, we created an event that celebrated culinary innovation and excellence while delivering a world-class delegate experience.
“It was the perfect opportunity to champion our city’s food culture and reinforce our commitment to providing seamless hospitality.”
Martin Ward, Chief Executive, Country Range Group said,
This year’s event in Belfast has been nothing short of spectacular. From the incredible energy on the exhibition floor to the insightful panels and dazzling gala dinner, it was a truly unforgettable occasion.
“The enthusiasm and innovation on display shows just how bright the future of foodservice is - and we’re proud to be right at the heart of it.”
Want a seat at the table?
Let ICC Belfast guide your next event and transform it into a taste of something more.
Read Next
