Registration & Breakfast Networking
Join us from 08:00am for breakfast and the opportunity to network with industry colleagues.
NI FOOD AND DRINK CONFERENCE 2025
Tuesday 4th March 2025 saw the return of the Northern Ireland Food and Drink Conference, held in partnership with Invest Northern Ireland and the Food Standards Agency, with over 150 delegates in attendance at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Belfast for the biennial event.
The Northern Ireland Food and Drink Conference brings together industry, government and academia, providing a valuable platform for networking, engagement and collaboration. The conference is open to anyone in the ‘eating ecosystem’ of farming, manufacturing, cold storage, distribution, packaging or retailing food and drink.
With sessions covering topics including investment, growth, sustainability, innovation, retail trends and much more, the conference is an important opportunity to connect and share industry insights.
Stay tuned for updates on the next Northern Ireland Food and Drink Conference in 2027!
2025 CONFERENCE AGENDA
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CONTACT US
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Conference Agenda
Opening Remarks & Welcome
Michael Bell OBE, NIFDA & Conference Host
Opening Remarks & Address
VIP Guest Speakers
Keynote Speaker – Investment
John Healy, Chair, Invest Northern Ireland
Keynote Speaker – Retail and Market Trends
Dr Clive Black, Vice Chairman and Head of Consumer Research, Shore Capital
Refreshments & Networking Exhibitions
Refreshments, Networking & Exhibitions
Keynote Speaker – Food Standards
Katie Pettifer, Chief Executive, Food Standards Agency
Panel Discussion – Safety and Standards
Advanced Innovation in Food and Drink Manufacturing
Keith Thornhill, Head of Food & Beverage – UK & Ireland, Siemens
Panel Discussion – Advanced Manufacturing
Lunch
Lunch & Networking Exhibitions
Keynote Speaker – Groceries Code Adjudicator
Mark White, Groceries Code Adjudicator
Keynote Speakers – Deposit Return Scheme
UK VIEW
Emma Bourne, Director, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
ROI VIEW
Ciaran Foley, Chief Executive Officer, Re-Turn
Panel Discussion – Industry View on Deposit Return Scheme and Extended Producer Responsibility
Sustainability Outlook for Food and Drink
Russell Smyth, Head of Sustainable Features, KPMG Ireland
Networking Break
Refreshments & Networking Exhibitions
Panel Discussion – Retailers
Closing Remarks & Guest Depart
Speaker Information
Michael Bell, OBE
Executive DirectorNorthern Ireland Food and Drink Association
Michael has over thirty-two years’ experience in the food industry. Prior to joining NIFDA he worked in the bakery trade in Northern Ireland and Malta for twelve years. During this period he worked closely with major retailers and obtained a place on the senior management board of Ormeau Bakery. Michael holds a Food Science (Hons) degree from The Queen’s University of Belfast. He is also a Chartered Scientist and a Fellow of the Institute of Food Science and Technology. He holds a Diploma in Company Director from the Institute of Directors. He has been instrumental in the development of NIFDA since its foundation in 1996.
John Healy, OBE
Chair of the BoardInvest NI
John Healy OBE is a highly experienced senior executive with 30 years of experience in the technology sector, mostly gained in the financial service industry. He has extensive experience in leading global teams, developing strategy and delivering solutions to address business and technology issues.
He was the Managing Director of Allstate NI, where he served from January 2016 to December 2022. Before Allstate John held the position of Service Centre Head for Citi’s near shore technology and operations centre in Belfast.
Most recently, John was Chair of the Software Alliance, the industry-led representative voice of the £1.7 billion software industry in Northern Ireland.
John has served on several boards including being Chair of the Fellowship Advisory Board at the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building. He is a member of the Council of Ulster University and is on the Board of Business in the Community. He is past-President of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce.
Katie Pettifer
Chief ExecutiveFood Standards Agency
Katie joined the FSA in July 2021 and became the Chief Executive in January 2025. As Chief Executive, she is responsible for the overall management and leadership of the FSA, and for delivering the strategy set by the FSA Board. The FSA’s mission is “food you can trust” – it makes sure that food is safe, and food is what it says it is, and helps to make food healthier and more sustainable.
Katie reports to the FSA Board, and is the Accounting Officer for the FSA, which means she is accountable to Parliament for the FSA’s expenditure and performance.
In her previous role as Director for Strategy and Regulatory Compliance, Katie was a member of the FSA’s executive management team and was responsible for the FSA’s overall strategy, legal, communications, governance and project delivery teams. She also led the FSA’s regulatory compliance work, working with local authorities to ensure that food businesses are complying with the law on food safety and standards, and developing new approaches for the future through the FSA’s ‘Achieving Business Compliance’ Programme.
Before she joined the FSA, Katie was the Public Policy Director at Ofcom, where she played a major role in shaping Ofcom’s work on issues like improving mobile and broadband coverage across the UK and working with the Government on new regulation to protect people from harmful content online. She also sponsored Ofcom’s diversity and inclusion strategy. Before that she spent two decades in Whitehall departments, providing policy advice to ministers on a wide range of social policy issues. She has held Senior Civil Service roles in the Ministry of Justice, the Cabinet Office and the Northern Ireland Office.
Dr Clive Black
Vice-Chairman and Head of Consumer ResearchShore Capital
Holding a Ph.D., from Queen’s University of Belfast and awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University by Hilary Clinton in November 2024 for services to the Agri-Food sector. Presently, Co-Founder, Director and Vice Chairman of Shore Capital Markets, a leading entrepreneurial investment bank in the UK.
National Farmers’ Union (NFU): Following a period picking & washing leeks on Emmet’s Farm, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, joined the NFU in Knightsbridge becoming Head of Food Policy advising & coordinating the organisation’s first food policy, member of BSE crisis team and served on the Steering Group of the Strathclyde Food Project, which sought to narrow the UK food trade deficit, a programme advising Prime Minister Rt. Hon. John Major.
Northern Foods: Joined Northern Foods plc in Kingston-Upon-Hull, working for Group Executive Neil Davidson, including participation in the establishment of the Northern Milk Partnership, strategic planning for Eden Vale Food Ingredients & Coldstream/NFT distribution along with advisory work for Group Chairman Lord Haskins of Skidsby on food and agriculture policy.
Charterhouse Tilney/ING: Working with Bill Currie focused upon equity research into UK food retailers followed by consumer goods and general retailers; Charterhouse floated several UK retailers including Iceland, JJB, Kwik Save and Ted Baker and was banker to Wm. Morrison Supermarkets plus broker to T&S Stores (which was sold to Tesco). Charterhouse was acquired by ING Financial Markets in 2000; become Head of Pan-European Retail Research of Amsterdam based bank.
Shore Capital Markets*: Established Shore Capital Markets in 2003 as a founding Director and Head of Research, opening the Liverpool office. Shore Capital Markets has been highly active in the consumer arena in the UK & Ireland serving as an IPO issuer, corporate adviser and broker to a wide range of companies (see below). Became Vice Chairman in 2023.
Bia Analytical/IFGS QUB: In February 2013 co-chaired the high-level Northern Ireland food industry seminar with Professor Chris Elliott (author of the Elliott Report into the Horsemeat Scandal at QUB) going on from 2015-22 to Chair QUB’s Institute for Global Food Security’s Industry Advisory Board plus its spin out food authenticity business, Bia Analytical, a 2020 start-up.
Pro bono work: Between 2011 to 2013 an advisor to the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) External Advisory Group on the Review of the Regulation of Food Hygiene in the UK under the leadership of Tim Smith; Treasurer of the Caroline Walker Trust, seeking to improve the lives of Britons through better nutrition; Non-Executive Director of The Community Shop a charitable venture based in Barnsley, South Yorkshire that seeks to help impoverished communities through entrepreneurship and food, which was acquired by Biffa in 2021. In 2017 keynote speakers at the Oxford Farming Conference alongside Rt. Hon Michael Gove MP and in 2022 appointed a Special Advisor by Sir Peter Kendall to his February Review of the Northern Ireland food system for the regional government, a report that was accepted by the devolved government.
Advisory work: Non-executive chairman of Mash Direct and Morelli Ice Cream and senior advisor to Edward Billington Group (EBS); advisor to Coriolis Consulting, Newton Europe and VeeTee.
*Companies to which Shore Capital Markets has been and is an advisor: AG Barr (broker), Accrol (broker), Anpario (broker), Applegreen (IPO), Cranswick (broker), Dobbies Garden Centres (broker & sale to Tesco), Eagle Eye (broker), Floors2Go (broker & sale to Alchemy), Greencore (broker), Hilton Food Group (broker), J. Sainsbury (broker), Marks & Spencer (broker), Mothercare (broker), Motorpoint (IPO & broker), musicMagpie (IPO & broker), Moy Park (Pilgrim’s Europe) N Brown Group (broker), NewRiver REIT (broker), Portmeirion (broker), Poundland (IPO and sale to Steinhoff), Premier Foods (broker), ScS (broker), Sosander (broker), SSP (IPO and broker), Tesco (broker to share buyback), ULTP (IPO & broker), Wm Morrison Supermarkets (broker & sale to CD&R), and Wynnstay (broker
Keith Thornhill
Head of Food & Beverage – UK and IrelandSiemens Digital Factory
Keith Thornhill started his career completing an apprenticeship with British Rail Engineering Ltd in Crewe and entered the automation industry in 1986 as an internal sales engineer. After key account management and business manager roles, Keith joined Siemens in 2001 as a business development manager and now heads up the Food and Beverage business for Siemens UK and Ireland
Keith’s career has been focused on Food and Beverage manufacturing and specifically on identifying the operational efficiency and production flexibility benefits that Integrated automation technology and Digitalisation will deliver.
Keith was previously Chairman of the Industry Advisory Board for the National Centre of Excellence for Food Engineering at Sheffield Hallam University, a facility designed by the industry, for the industry and is there to incubate innovation and develop leaders for the future. Keith is also member of the IMechE Food and Drink committee and the Food and Drink Federation technology task force.
Gráinne Moody
DirectorInvest NI
Gráinne is passionate about Northern Ireland’s food and drink sector having spent much of the last 23 years working directly with food and drink businesses on accelerated growth projects, helping them to scale up their investments and identify new opportunities. She manages Invest NI’s Food & Drink Division which works directly with businesses in the sector, supporting them to grow, innovate, and take advantage of new market opportunities. Gráinne also has extensive experience in agri-food and drink strategy development and implementation, working with industry, stakeholders, and local and national government.
Gary Kearney
Chief Executive Officersafefood
Dr Gary A. Kearney, BSc, MSc, MA, PhD, is safefood’s Chief Executive Officer and leads the Senior Management Team within the organisation. In addition to further training at Harvard Business School, Harvard JFK School of Government, and Henley, Gary graduated with an MA in Health Care Management in 2001 and a Professional Certificate in Corporate Governance in 2016 from the Institute of Public Administration, Dublin.
A graduate of University College, Cork with an MSc in Organic Chemistry and a PhD in Analytical Chemistry, Gary previously spent nine years in the field of national and EU legislative food regulatory compliance with the Health Service Executive in Galway and Cork prior to joining the organisation.
Having initially served as Laboratory Liaison Manager, Corporate Operations Manager and then Director Food Science at safefood, he was previously responsible for the development of the organisation’s scientific co-operation and linkages between food safety laboratories on the island, and performance management.
He has also previously served as a member of the Board of Food Safety Authority of Ireland from 2000-2006, and as Board Member/Chair Audit Committee at Leargas from 2000-2011.
Gary has a keen interest in the management of change, corporate governance and the progressive development/mentoring of staff.
“At safefood, it’s important that we see the big picture in terms of how our work is informed by the very latest research and evidence base in food safety and nutrition; how we effectively develop, nurture and sustain key stakeholder working partnerships in both Ireland and Northern Ireland; and finally, how we translate all that into communicating with the public and other stakeholders across the food supply chain through our integrated marketing campaigns, training and information services.
I think such a joined-up-approach will encourage best use of existing resources to obtain optimum value in order to protect public health.”
Declan Ferguson
Research & Development, Sustainability and Technical DirectorFinnebrogue
Declan is Research & Development, Sustainability and Technical Director at Finnebrogue. Declan has a degree in Food Science from Queen’s University Belfast and is a past Chair of IFST’s Northern Ireland Branch. Declan has spent 25 years working in the food business, with 10 years at Marks and Spencer as a food technologist, managing a range of product categories including confectionary, bakery & cakes, biscuits, prepared fruit, dried fruit & nuts, red meat and poultry. Declan went on to lead the technical and development teams in Tesco Ireland & Northern Ireland, before joining Genesis Crafty where he was Technical Director for 3 years.
Declan has spent the last 10 years at Finnebrogue and their growth in premium sausages and the development of Made Without Nitrite Naked Bacon, Finnebrogue Wagyu Beef and Plant Based and Veggie ranges epitomizes their commitment to quality and ethical product innovation. These breakthroughs reflect their dedication to offering consumers great tasting, health-conscious and environmentally responsible choices.
Emma Bourne
Director of Resources and WasteDepartment for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
Emma Bourne is the Director of Resources and Waste at the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs. Emma was previously a Director at other departments at DEFRA such as Constitution & Borders, EU Exit, Domestic & Constitutional Affairs and Deputy Director of EU Exit Overview and Troubled Families Programme, DCLG.
Her two career goals are to lead teams that are proud of what they achieve and how they achieve it, and to keep learning and surprising myself in her achievements. Emma’s most impressive achievement to date would be delivering a deal with the EU that secures food supply for Northern Ireland (the Windsor Framework), when many thought it impossible and leading a negotiations team they felt supported and rewarded in their achievements.
A quirky fact about Emma is that she appeared on Junior Masterchef when 11 years old.
Ciaran Foley
Chief Executive OfficerRe-turn
Ciaran Foley joined Re-turn as Chief Executive in October 2024, with over 30 years’ industry experience as a senior executive.
Since joining Re-turn, Ciaran has launched Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme which will help position Ireland to meet its European recycling targets for beverage containers.
Prior to joining Re-turn Ciaran was the Managing Director of DHL Supply Chain Ireland, he led an organisation of almost 1000 employees providing logistical solutions for customers across multiple sectors. He established the DHL Supply Chain business as the leader in sustainability for logistics solutions in Ireland and secured an €80m investment for the long-term supply of biomethane to 100% decarbonise DHL’s transport business.
As Supply Chain Director of Tesco Ireland, he oversaw the best-in-class operations across all elements of supply chain and distribution within the company whilst taking on responsibilities for essential KPIs in retail, including waste and shrinkage.
He is also Non-Executive Director at FoodCloud Ireland, the charity that strives to reduce food waste in Ireland and internationally through innovative IT solutions that make excess food from retail outlets and providers available to charities.
Mark White
Groceries Code Adjudicator
Mark White was appointed Groceries Code Adjudicator in October 2020. Mark is a solicitor, with extensive international experience across sectors and a track record of delivering legal, governance and compliance across complex organisations.
Russell Smyth
Head of Sustainable FuturesKPMG Ireland
Russell is a Partner in KPMG Ireland and leads KPMG Sustainable Futures, the firm’s dedicated climate & sustainability advisory practice. Russell has over 15 years’ experience in the low carbon and sustainability sector across the island of Ireland, supporting corporate and public sector clients implement ESG, decarbonisation and natural capital strategies. Russell has worked extensively with the agri-food sector, having supported many of the leading agri-food industry bodies and companies to assess future decarbonisation pathways, roadmaps and initiatives, as well as assess the economic implications of the low carbon transition.
Laura Harper
Trading Director for Ireland and Northern IrelandMarks and Spencer
Laura Harper is the Trading Director for Ireland and Northern Ireland M&S, with over 15 years industry experience. M&S are currently going through a transformation and as part of that programme they are actively seeking to further relationships with new and existing local suppliers.
Joe McDonald
UK Head of Corporate Affairs, ASDA
Joe McDonald joined Asda in 2013 as Head of Corporate Affairs in Northern Ireland. He has represented Asda on all aspects of policy affecting the retailer in Northern Ireland including planning; business rates; alcohol legislation; and local supply chain. Joe’s role also entails building relationships with stakeholders and promoting Asda’s diverse range of ESG programmes.
Michael Crealey
Lead Packaged Buying ManagerTesco
Michael has been working in Tesco now for 15 years, covering multiple roles throughout store operations and 5 years in the commercial team doing a variety of roles including managing processes through Brexit and Windsor Framework for Tesco NI.
Michael has covered multiple categories and is currently the lead packaged buying manager with the key areas being BWS, Impulse and Grocery. Throughout his time at Tesco Michael has always been keen to ensure local suppliers are well represented in Tesco. He is also a member of the NI grocery aid committee to help raise awareness for our colleagues in the industry that need support.
Tom Burke
Director of Corporate Affairs & SustainabilityCoca-Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland
Tom was appointed Director of Corporate Affairs & Sustainability at Coca-Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland in 2019.
He is responsible for protecting and promoting the reputation of the business. Some of his key areas of responsibility include sustainability, communications, packaging strategy and community affairs. Tom joined CCHBC from Ibec, Ireland’s leading business representative body, where he held the role of Director of Retail Ireland. Prior to that, Tom spent four years with the Alcohol Beverage Federation in Ireland, where he was at the forefront of representing the brewing sector and wider drinks industry at national and European level.
Tom is a former Board member at Repak and a current board member at Re-turn, Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme operator.
Arthur Richmond
Group CEO and Board MemberSHS Group
Arthur Richmond is the Group CEO and Board member at SHS Group. A Chartered Accountant, he has held various senior roles within the Group and is responsible for the business’ strategic direction. Arthur is also a Board Member of NIFDA.
Founded in 1975, the SHS Group operates in the fast-moving consumer goods sector in the UK and Ireland. The Group owns a number of brands including WKD, Shloer, bottlegreen, Rocks, Meridian nut butters, Zip firelighters and distributes other major brands on behalf of national and international brand owners. SHS Group is also the largest supplier of own label Herbs & Spices and Condiments in Great Britain.
Venue location and information
The conference will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Shaw’s Bridge, Belfast.
Arrival registration will open at 8:00am and the conference will commence at 9:00am sharp.
For directions to the venue, please click here.
Contact Us
Should you require further information regarding the NIFDA Conference, please contact nifda@morrowcommunications.com