Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
The inaugural Waitrose Drinks Festival will take place at The Institute of Engineering and Technology in London on September 16 and September 17.
Celebrating the best food and drink available at Waitrose, the festival will be open to the public and will include masterclasses, workshops and a rooftop BBQ.
Waitrose category manager of wines, beers and spirits Anne Jones said: “We’ve wanted to do a customer event with our favourite food and drink suppliers for such a long time. It’s incredibly exciting that it’s finally happening.
“Our close relationship with suppliers means that we are able to open a fantastic range of tasting rooms, to provide Waitrose fans with the opportunity to try highlights from all of our ranges under one roof.”
With more than 200 Waitrose drinks producers taking part, the themed tasting rooms will offer opportunities for guests to sample a huge range of spirits, beers, ciders and wines, as well as an extensive selection of speciality foods.
The Waitrose Cookery School will be demonstrating dishes too, with drink matches.
The Wine & Spirit Education Trust will also be at the festival, sharing their expertise during various showcases.
Another highlight will be the ‘Make Your Own Gin’ challenge. Audemus Pink Peppercorn Gin will be hosting a gin masterclass. All gins made during the festival will be judged by an expert panel and the winning gin will go on sale at Waitrosecellar.com later in the year.
The website for booking tickets in now live at www.waitrosedrinksfestival.com. Tickets are £25 per session until August 14, and £30 thereafter, with an additional cost for masterclasses and workshops.
