Drive success, champion sustainability, and build resilience for a prosperous future

Gather – 10th June 2026

Join the second annual Southwest Food & Drink Summit - Gather- bringing together the Southwests dynamic food and drink community for a full day of insight, innovation, and collaboration.

Date: Wednesday, June 10th, 2026
Location: The Forum, The University of Exeter
Duration: 9:15-16:30 (optional networking until 18:30)

Now, in it's second year, Gather unites producers, entreprenuers, and industry professionals to explore the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of the food and drink sector. Expect a day designed to strengthen your business, expand your network, and spark new ideas.

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Keynote Speakers

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Host - Toby Buckland

We are delighted to annouce that Toby Buckland, gardener, TV presenter and author, will be back with us this year to host our three fantastic Keynote Speakers in the forum.

Toby is best known for hosting BBC's Gardeners' World in 2008 and 2010, and continues to present on the show and BBC2's coverage of the Chelsea Flower Show. His BBC Radio show on BBC Sounds is the most listened to music, environment and gardening program in the UK and, locally, he runs an award-winning festival at Powderham Castle that encompassess food, plants, art and rural crafts.

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Tony Greenham

Chief Impact Officer

Tony is a sustainability leader with cross-disciplinary expertise in economic policy, business strategy, and finance. He has published research on agroecology, local economic regeneration, and financial system resilience. As Chief Impact Officer at FFCC, he oversees strategy implementation and organisational resources. Previously, he was Managing Director of Sustainability at the British Business Bank and led sustainable finance research at the Royal Society of Arts and the New Economics Foundation. He holds degrees from Oxford and LSE and is an ICAEW Fellow.

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Will Little

Managing Director and Owner of Little’s Coffee

You might have seen Will on Dragons’ Den last year. If not, Little’s is a second-generation challenger brand here to put fun, flavour and innovation on the coffee shelf with distribution in some of the biggest supermarkets in the UK and 23 countries worldwide. He is also the co-founder of Roastworks Coffee Co. – a purpose-led speciality coffee roastery.

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James Williams

Global Director of Client Recognition and Clienteling at Rosewood Hotel Group

James is a luxury hospitality leader specialising in clienteling, community building and ultra‑high‑net‑worth client strategy. James leads global client relationship and recognition programmes, turning data, cultural insight and human detail into meaningful, repeatable moments of loyalty across properties and markets. James also has a background in retail, specifically luxury fashion having spent four years at Selfridges and five years at FARFETCH.

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Join us for a day of 15 insightful panel sessions based on the themes below:

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Driving Success

For growth, innovation, and impact

o Innovation & Future Trends
o Branding, Storytelling & Market Positioning
o Championing Local & Regional Produce

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Championing Sustainability

For climate-smart, ethical, and regenerative food systems

o Sustainability & Regenerative Practices
o Policy & Advocacy

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Building Resilience

For stronger businesses and supply chains

o Resilience & Supply Chain Security
o Collaboration & Community Building

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Putting People First

For driving customer relationships

o Customer Excellence
o Understanding Consumer Trends

Panel Sessions

See our panel sessions below, check back for more information being added daily.

Driving Success

The Hook - Cut Through For Your Brand

Panel Session Lead - Mark Girvan, Buddy Creative

Panellists:

David Kilkelly, BlinkBack
Hayley Reynolds, RAW Food & Drink PR

Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Basket

Panel Session Lead - Tim Ball, Bar Buoy

Panellists:

Matt Hill, Webselect.
Claire Mortimer, Fabulous Farm Shops.
Heidi Robinson, Westcountry Foods

Growing Pains

Panel Session Lead - Howard Davis, Salcombe Gin

Panellists:

David Pearce, recently exited Frobishers.
Julie Waddell, exited founder of Moorish Dips and now Entrepreneur in Residence at University of Exeter.
Michael Barber, Barbers Bean to Bar. Nicholas Shaw, Food Untethered.
Nicholas Shaw, Food Untethered

Brand Protection

Panel Session Lead - Mark Durber, Clockwork Marketing

Panellists:

Olivia Richards, Stephens Scown LLP

Championing Sustainability

Championing The Next Gen Hospitality

Panel Session Lead - Colin Wheeler-James, Ground Up Cookery School.

Panellists:

Hugo Guest, Glebe House. Tanya Luke, Porsham Farm
Tanya Luke, Porsham Farm

Better By Design

Panel Session Lead - Xiaoyu Yan, University of Exeter

Panellists:

Christopher Brown, No More Lids Limited
Gemma Wakeham, Two Drifters.
Rachel Walker Disco Scallops, SetSquared & Rockfish.
Mark Girvan, Buddy Creative.

Sustain-able

Panel Session Lead - Alison Ashby, University of Exeter

Panellists:

Dawn Hawking, Marshfield Farm Cert B Corp.
Caroline Bennett, Sole of Discretion.
Becca Winmill, was Frobishers, Fizz with Purpose

Building Resilience

Leaning Into Real World Challenges

Panel Session Lead - Kate Williams, KW Marketing

Panellists:

Mark Durber, Clockwork Marketing

Change Makers From The Ground Up

Panel Session Lead - Rachel Philips, Apricot Centre

Panellists:

Will Luke, Porsham Farm.
Jenny Tunley Price, University of Exeter/Tamar Grow Local

Food Security - Feeding The Nation

Panel Session Lead - Professor Pete Falloon, The Met Office and University of Bristol.

Panellists:

Andy Gray, M C Kelly.
Matt Lobley, University of Exeter & Great South West.

Show Me The Money

Panel Session Lead - Fleur Lewis, Bishop Fleming.

Panellists: Coming soon.

Putting People First

Customer Is King

Panel Session Lead - Lucy WIlliams. Three Trees L&D.

Panellists:

James Williams (Keynote), Rosewood Hotel Group
Fiona Moores, Winslade Manor

Learning The Healthy Way

Panel Session Lead - Fatma Sabet, UoE – healthy, sustainable school food; local procurement.

Panellists:

Martyn Bragg, Shillingford
Abigail Page, School Food Task Force/Bremner
Andy Gray, M C Kelly

Healthy Food For Every Body

Panel Session Lead - Daniel Derbyshire, University of Exeter.

Panellists:

Sophia Johnston, Food Untethered.
Natalia Lawrence, University of Exeter
Ishani Kar-Purkayastha, DHSC

Producer Exhibitors

Gather – 10th June 2026

Keynote Speakers

Host - Toby Buckland

Join us for a day of 15 insightful panel sessions based on the themes below:

Driving Success

Championing Sustainability

Building Resilience

Putting People First

Panel Sessions

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