What are the costs and realistic ROI for exhibiting at major food and drink trade shows?

Major UK trade shows typically break down as follows:

**Stand costs:** - **9m² stand**: approximately £3,000 - **6m² stand**: approximately £2,000

**Total exhibition costs beyond the stand fee:** Members report total costs of £5,000+ for a 4-day show when accounting for: - Electrics and utilities - Logistics (stock transportation in/out, storage) - Staff (e.g. 4 people for 4 days)

**Revenue and profitability:** - One member achieved £16,400 in sales across 4 days on a 6m² stand, selling out by midday Sunday - However, the same exhibitor ran at a loss of ~£2,000 after accounting for all costs and per-bottle profit margins (£4 net per bottle at £20 retail) - At typical margins, a 6m² stand generating strong footfall can move 800–1,000+ bottles

**Alternative ROI metric:** Members emphasize that direct profit is often secondary to sampling reach. The above exhibitor achieved ~7,000 samples at approximately £0.30 per sample, which many consider excellent brand awareness value. Shows work best when the goal is building trial and market presence rather than immediate profitability.