CATEX Returns in February

CATEX returns to the RDS, Dublin from Tuesday 21st – Thursday 23rd February 2023, with a firm focus on showcasing opportunities for businesses to thrive. 

Over three days, visitors will have the opportunity to meet and reconnect with over 270 suppliers, network with industry stakeholders, source new energy saving and waste management tech, and watch hundreds of chefs and baristas compete on a national stage. 

Features at CATEX 2023 include:

•    Panel of Chefs Chef Ireland Culinary Competitions – CATEX is the national centre for local excellence in the industry and nurtures Ireland’s talent of the future through world-class competitions and expert demonstrations. A packed programme of live competitions across the three days, and home to Ireland Chef of the Year, means that visitors to CATEX will have the unique opportunity to get up close and personal with the very best chefs in the country. 
•    Hosted by the Speciality Coffee Association (SCA) Irish Chapter, the National Barista Championships will see baristas go head-to-head, stirring up the coffee world to see who can come out on top. 
•    Connecting chefs across the island of Ireland, Chef Network brings chefs together to collaborate, share knowledge, and learn from each other, as well as offering a working space where chefs will exchange ideas on the future of their industry: everything from sustainability to how chefs are trained, the skills needed to run a food business, and food trends. 
•    Aramark Producers’ Showcase – a Dragons’ Den style competition for food producers to be in with the chance to agree a supply partnership with one of Ireland’s biggest buyers in the Irish foodservice sector.
•    Spotlight on Sustainability: The Irish Foodservice Supplier Awards – the IFSA’s are coming to CATEX and will acknowledge product and service innovation within the industry, with a central focus on environmental issues and suppliers’ response to the ever-evolving need to develop practices in line with the circular economy concept. 
The theme for 2023 will be "Sustainability and the Circular Economy" and will shine a light on suppliers who are at the forefront of industry’s response to the environmental crisis. Entries remain open until 9th January. For more information visit www.catexexhibition.com/the-ifsas.

NEW FOR 2023:

•    Hospitality Cost Clinic – Powered by Trinity Purchasing
From energy systems and waste management to reducing your operating costs, the NEW hospitality cost clinic, supported by Trinity Purchasing Ireland, is a dedicated area showcasing innovative technologies and providing a unique opportunity for visitors to talk to industry experts and gain advice on how to improve efficiency within business and tips on how to lower rising energy costs. 

•    Chef Network Live 
A live cooking area will offer exhibitors a chance to showcase their products on the big stage. Buyers from the worlds of hospitality, food & drink retail, wholesale and more will have the opportunity to discover unique new products from creative start-ups and innovative launches from some of the biggest brands in the sector.

•    European Speciality Tea Association Brew Bar
A unique opportunity to come and taste a range of the finest teas and infusions brewed by top professionals. Meet the people who are dedicated to the promotion and education of tea and provide the finest solutions to cafes, restaurants and hotels.