Fine Food Australia has concluded its 2024 event with a remarkable turnout over four days at Melbourne’s Convention and Exhibition Centre, celebrating 40 years of the iconic expo.
This year’s event attracted industry experts, chefs, baristas, and visitors from around the globe, showcasing cutting-edge products and innovations in the foodservice and hospitality sectors.
The expo featured over 875 exhibitors from both Australia and abroad, highlighting a diverse range of categories including catering equipment, bakery, beverages, food products, hospitality technology, meat and seafood, and packaging.
Sinead Kavanagh, Event Product Manager, reflected on the event’s success, stating, “The excitement and buzz at Fine Food this week shows that while the past years have been challenging, the industry’s thirst for knowledge, innovation, and connection remains strong.”
She added, “The large number of international visitors and over 200 buyer meetings are a testament to the global reputation of Australian products.”
Key competitions added excitement to the event. The Nestlé Golden Chef’s Hat Award, aimed at recognising emerging culinary talent, saw Archer Houghton crowned as the 2024 Golden Chef of the Year.
Additionally, the Great Aussie Pie Comp celebrated its 35th anniversary, with Buddy Bakery from Melton, VIC, winning the Plain Meat Pie category, and Orange Spot Bakery from Glenelg, SA, taking first place in the Plain Sausage Roll category.
Other competitions included the ACF Culinary Challenge, where Victoria’s Bivushan Bhandari was named 2024 Most Outstanding Chef, and the Bake Skills Australia competition, with Ryan Wu from Victoria claiming the Champion Baker title.
The Fine Food Australia Expo will return to Sydney’s ICC from 8 to 11 September 2025, as organisers continue to drive innovation and creativity in the foodservice industry.
