ALL YOU CAN FORECAST: Food, Drink + Hospitality Outlook 2025

BEST BEFORE presents: All You Can Forecast - Food, Drink + Hospitality Outlook 2025

We’re building a community to connect and champion the people shaping Brighton’s food, drink, and hospitality businesses. On Thursday the 30th January, join us for an afternoon of inspiring conversations alongside local food, drinks and networking, as Best Before hosts its debut event.

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OUR PANEL OF EXPERTS

• Ruth Fittock, Tomorrow Brands: Navigating brand growth and adapting to changing consumer trends.
• Terri Mercieca, Happy Endings: Award-winning ice cream maker, chocolatier, dessert chef and author, giving her perspective as a producer and supplier.
• Nicole Compen, Raye: An insider view on the evolving landscape of retail and consumer demands and what buyers want next.
• Angus Jackson, Storekit: Insights from digital solutions for hospitality.
• Tom Zahir, Decatur: Bringing first-hand knowledge of current challenges and opportunities within the hospitality sector, from cheffing, pop-ups, delivery & meal kits, events & catering.

• Oliver Russell, Brand Strategist: our Panel Moderator, has a passion for the hospitality industry and has advised brands such as Smirnoff, Jameson, Guinness and Pommery.

Our panel will dive into the latest trends and challenges impacting their field, offering actionable insights and forward-looking strategies to inspire your journey in 2025.

There will be a Q&A, so you can ask any questions that may come up during the panel.

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MORE ABOUT OUR PANEL

Ruth Fittock

has almost 20 years experience building brands- from start-up to scale up, launch to acquisition. She’s helped U.S brands (vitaminwater, popchips) launch and scale in the UK and grown brands from scratch here too (Simply Roasted Crisps). Ruth has recently started a new consultancy, Tomorrow Brands, to help the purpose-driven global brands of tomorrow launch in the UK.

Nicole Compen

after a decade of experience in brand & marketing management, founded travelling retail concept raye the store in June 2021. More than simply a place to shop, raye is cultivating an ecosystem that aligns brands, consumers and industry figures who are motivated by the same ethics of wellbeing and building challenger brands to diversify the marketplace of the future. Prior to raye, Nicole lead the marketing at WatchHouse. Rolling out multiple café openings and its first branded retail & e-commerce offering.

Angus Jackson

co-founder of storekit, raising the bar for hospitality ordering tech. His platform empowers operators to setup and control their direct on-demand delivery, click & collect and order & pay - technology that's proven to increase average spend by 30%+

Tom Zahir

founder and chef of Decatur, a Creole and Cajun pop up based in East London since 2014. Having toured with bands through the American South in the 2000’s he started cooking Creole and Cajun food after living and cooking in New York and seeing the influence of Southern Cookery on Modern American cuisine. Having been involved in London’s grassroots Food Scene for a decade - from the early days of pop ups across all kinds of venues - with a huge pivot to delivery services in the pandemic and an award winning nationwide seafood boil meal kit.

Terri Mercieca

an accomplished dessert chef, artisan chocolatier, and founder of Happy Endings - a proudly values-led desserts business who are fiercely committed to inclusivity and not afraid to shake things up.

Oliver Russell

is a brand strategist with a passion for the hospitality industry. His extensive experience spans advising global brands like Smirnoff, Jameson, Guinness, and Pommery, as well as supporting the launch of London restaurants. Beyond his brand expertise, Oliver's background as a professional musician, actor, and keen amateur chef gives him a unique perspective on the creative and cultural dynamics of the F&B world. He's thrilled to moderate this panel and facilitate a lively discussion with our esteemed guests.

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WHO ARE BEST BEFORE?

BEST BEFORE is a new events venture from the,

• Co-founder of the Brighton Natural Wine Fair and events consultant, Lizzy Kaplan.
• Founder of growth marketing agency, On A Plate, and co-founder of Bloody Bens Bloody Mary Mix, Ben Walton.

BEST BEFORE exists to shine a light on the amazing people of the food and drink scene in Brighton & beyond, giving them an opportunity to come together to eat, drink and connect.

We want to inspire people to create new businesses, to find brilliant new suppliers and partners and to find ways to make their own ventures more successful, or, just a little less lonely as they meet like-minded souls.

Host or Publisher BEST BEFORE