TickEat Marketplace

The TickEat Marketplace has been created to support early stage food and drink brands by giving them direct access to buyers who are actively sourcing new and innovative products for travel and leisure environments. It complements the Meet The Buyer event by offering a more informal setting focused on discovery, sampling and relationship building.

The Marketplace brings together over 40 carefully selected brands and more than 40 buyers under one roof, ensuring all participants are relevant, engaged and aligned with the sector. Buyers attending Meet The Buyer can attend the Marketplace alongside their main event meetings, making it an efficient and valuable addition to their visit.

For suppliers, the Marketplace removes many of the barriers to entry into travel and leisure. There is no need for complex meeting schedules or large exhibition stands, just great products, clear positioning and the opportunity to connect directly with the right people.

✔ Break Into Travel and Leisure
Designed specifically for young brands, the Marketplace is an accessible entry point into a highly competitive but rewarding sector.

✔ Increase Brand Awareness
Showcase your products through live sampling, leave samples with buyers and gain visibility through inclusion in event materials.

✔ Relaxed and Informal Networking
No scheduled meetings, just genuine conversations, organic introductions and valuable feedback from buyers.

✔ Standalone, High Focus Event
Taking place the day before Meet The Buyer, the Marketplace benefits from maximum buyer attention and dedicated time with decision makers.

✔ Connect With Like Minded Brands
Meet other innovative suppliers at a similar stage of growth and build relationships that can lead to future collaborations.

Efficient Sourcing in One Place
Meet 40 specialist Free From and Special Meals suppliers in one day, helping you identify new products and partners quickly without the time drain of individual outreach.

Discover Scalable and Compliant Solutions
Find suppliers offering clearly labelled, consistent and compliant SPML products that work across airline, rail, cruise and travel retail requirements.

Pre Scheduled Meetings with Relevant Suppliers
Take part in structured 20 minute meetings with suppliers of your choice, making every conversation more relevant and productive.

Reduce Procurement Complexity
Streamline sourcing by meeting multiple suppliers face to face, comparing solutions side by side and moving faster from trial to listing.

Stay Ahead of Demand Trends
Passenger expectations for Free From, plant based, allergen friendly and special diet options continue to grow. This event helps you stay ahead of the market with fresh innovation and insight.

“…TickEat does exactly what the industry needs: they bring brands and the right buyers together in a focused, meaningful way. No noise, no clutter, no massive trade shows – just real conversations over dinner and drinks, with direct access to the people shaping travel retail.” – Treat Yo Self

“After this TickEat event, it was clear that buyers are craving soulful, purpose-led flavour. Our South Asian streetfood hit the spot, so after the Taster Session we took part in (giving us a taste of the event) we’re stepping up to the full TickEat Meet The Buyer showcase in 2026 to share more of our spice, story and innovation.” – Urban Rajah

“It was our first time attending the MTB Taster Session and found it to be a wonderful evening. I made some great connections in a relaxed environment and will definitely be looking to attend future events.” – Peppersmith