The International Food and Drink Event (IFE) 2017 has announced that it will be again hosting a section dedicated entirely to health and wellbeing, following an increase in healthy eating trends across the industry.

The event will also be unveiling two new speaker stages this year – the Talking Trends stage and the Big Picture theatre. The Talking Trends stage will focus on innovation and key food and drink trends. The Big Picture theatre will tackle the hard hitting issues facing the industry in these challenging times. The regular "Sugar Debate" will be running as usual.

Also new for this year, IFE has introduced the trend trail, which lets buyers walk a dedicated path throughout the event allowing them to discover the latest products and suppliers across a range of categories including "free from".

Event director, Soraya Gadelrab, says, "IFE 2017 is in prime position to identify the healthiest forthcoming trends of 2017, such as purple produce which features increasingly on contemporary menus due to both its nutritional value and vibrant colour. Consumers are turning to flexitarian diets, encouraged by major supermarket retailers who are trying to make meat free alternatives more accessible. Were also seeing alternative proteins gaining traction with consumers as the industry continues to position them in progressively appealing ways as the market evolves.

"At IFE 2017, you can discover all the emerging health trends that will lead the way for the year ahead. Over 1,350 suppliers choose to exhibit at the event, which runs across four days from the 19 to 22 March at ExCeL London, so its the ideal place to discover the newest innovations that will be driving growth in this market."

Register now via the IFE website for your free entrance badge and save paying the £25 on-the-door charge.