Next Event - Tuesday, February 24th, 2026 9:00
Ten Dublin producers to attend IFEX 2026 supported by LEO
Date & Time:
Wednesday, March 4th, 2026 | 10:00
Location:
Wood Quay Venue , Fishamble St, Wood Quay, , Dublin 8, D08 RF3F, Ireland
Ticket Price:
€20
“Any producer seeking to use Innovation as a tool to secure buyer listings should attend this event” – James Burke
Join us for the 2026 DFC Innovation and Food Trends conference, where we explore how food and drink businesses turn emerging trends into real commercial opportunities. The conference is about practical innovation—new products, smarter routes to market, and fresh ways to meet changing consumer needs. Across the sessions, you’ll hear directly from leaders who are using insight and creativity to stay ahead and build resilient, future-ready brands.
Harnessing Innovation and Food Trends in Ballymaloe Foods - Maxine Hyde
Maxine Hyde, Ballymaloe Foods has always balanced heritage with fresh thinking, growing from one iconic relish into a constantly evolving range built on kitchen-led experimentation. Their team stays close to what’s next in flavour, consumer behaviour, and menu innovation, translating emerging trends into practical products for chefs and home cooks alike.
As a family business led by the Hyde family, they keep innovation close to the craft: developing, testing, and refining sauces, relishes, and condiments with real-world feedback. They also back progress with purpose, setting and reporting sustainability goals through origin green, alongside community and food redistribution initiatives. Maxine Hyde brings this ethos to life—connecting trend insight, product development, and the Ballymaloe standard of quality to help the brand stay ahead while staying true.
Using Food Innovation to drive Retail Listings - Joanna Walker
Jo brings over 25 years of retail expertise from Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s, with a career spanning product development, buying and marketing. At the event, she will share a buyer’s-eye view of what really influences listing decisions—and how smart, practical innovation can help producers stand out on shelf and online. Expect clear guidance on turning consumer trends into commercially viable propositions, and on using innovation to strengthen customer interactions, loyalty, and repeat purchase. Jo’s talk will feature a live case study focussed on Capsicana Limited https://www.capsicana.co.uk/
**Anyone purchasing DFC Member Tickets must have valid DFC Membership on the day of the event. If you would like to join the Dublin Food Chain please go to https://www.dublinfoodchain.ie/join-us/.
Dublin Food Chain is a collaborative initiative of Local Enterprise Offices in the Dublin area. The Dublin Food Chain is part of an ongoing effort to harness the power of the 'collective', in order to ensure that Co. Dublin's unique food heritage benefits from the attention it deserves.
Tel: +353 (0)83 144 9637
Email: info@dublinfoodchain.ie
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Dublin Food Chain 2026