The FDEA 2026 Virtual Series
17 March 2026 - 14 July 2026|
United Kingdom
Virtual
Registration open until 17 Mar 2026
Welcome to the FDEA Meet the Buyer and Expert Series!
Connect | Learn | Grow
Powered by the FDEA (Food and Drink Exporters Association), our Meet the Buyer and Expert series brings together exporters, buyers and partners from across the food and drink world.
We provide the network and roadmap for the export community to connect, learn and grow.
31
Registered participants
0
Booked meetings
FDEA 2026
FDEA (Food and Drink Exporters Association) is the trusted association for ambitious food and drink exporters seeking export support and international opportunities. We are a professional network supporting exporters to connect with buyers, learn from experts, and grow internationally.
The FDEA’s role is to act as a Convenor — bringing together the best in the business and encouraging collaboration across the exporting ecosystem.
- Buying Teams
- International Professionals
- Like-Minded Exporters
- Masterclasses
- Best Practice
- Latest Insights
- Reduce Border Friction
- Showcase Your Brand
- Grow Sales
The FDEA Team
Barney Mauleverer – Chairman, FDEA
Barney brings over 20 years of export experience and a track record of building global food and drink brands and communities.
Katie Birrell – Managing Director
Katie has 25 years’ international sales experience and a practical understanding of exporter challenges across brands of all sizes.
Paul Abley – Director of Community, Events & Partnerships
Paul is a global sales and trade-event specialist focused on creating connections and opportunities for UK exporters.
Alice Hall – Events & Communications Manager
Alice is a communications and events coordinator passionate about championing founders and spotlighting innovation in exports.
Participant Information
Daily Schedule & Logistics
Hours: 7 AM - 7 PM
(Chasing sun across time zones)
Meetings: 15-minute introductory sessions with 5-minute breaks between slots.
Typical Meeting Pattern (example slots for the day):
7:00 - 7:15
7:20 – 7:35
7:40 – 7:55
B2B Meetings - From contacts to contracts
Business collaborations start with a first contact!
How does the B2B Matchmaking work?
All participants are by default registered for the 1:1 networking (signing-off possible).
To request a 1:1 meeting with one of the participants you simply browse the participants list and identify good matches.
Afterwards you send your meetings requests and add a line why a meeting would make sense. Once the recipient(s) accepts your request the meeting will be scheduled on a reserved table and next free timeslot on the event.
The networking is open before and during the event. After the event you can still stay in touch with other event participants via the integrated chat messaging.
How can you benefit from the matchmaking?
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Publish and showcase your products, projects, services or business needs to event participants.
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Initiate and arrange promising pre-scheduled 1:1 meetings at the event.
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Generate fresh leads and meet new contacts in a time and cost-efficient way.
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Stay one step ahead of your competitors by being seen and visibly present at the event.
Need help?
Please contact our team:
Food & Drink Exporters Association
Paul Abley
Food and Drink Exporters Association
Alice Hall