The food, drink, and hospitality industry is at a crossroads. We face significant challenges – from skills shortages and recruitment struggles to changing consumer demands and supply chain pressures.
To ensure our sector not only survives but thrives, we must evolve together – adapting our approaches, strengthening industry-education collaboration, and ensuring our students are equipped for the future.
By coming together with industry professionals, we can shape a more relevant, dynamic, and sustainable future for an event that should be the annual coming together of the region’s food, drink, and hospitality industry.
This is not just about celebrating success, looking back and taking stock – it’s about ensuring we are fit to meet the challenges ahead whilst building upon the important legacy of NECTA.
The NECTA Competition will return in 2027 at FD&H Live 2027, but 2026 is a crucial year for reflection, reinvention, and collaboration.
We need your buy-in and support to create an education and skills framework that genuinely meets industry demands.
While preparing for a landmark FD&H Live 2027, we will continue to deliver smaller activations, engagements and networking opportunities to maintain momentum.
Now is the time for change, and we need your expertise, commitment, and passion to make it happen.
Together, we can secure the future of our industry and cement the North East’s reputation as a centre of excellence for food, drink, and hospitality.
We look forward to welcoming you to FD&H Live 2027 and working side by side to drive meaningful, lasting change.
If you would like to provide thoughts, comments or feedback, email info@fadne.org with the subject header: NECTA 2025.
Let’s shape the industry’s future together.
We thank our partners, sponsors and community for their continued support – and we look forward to welcoming everyone back for an unforgettable celebration of the region’s food, drink and hospitality industries in the near future.
