The Worshipful Company of Butchers and City Livery Events

The 2026 City Food & Drink Lecture will be celebrating its 25th year on 23rd February 2026 at Guildhall, City of London.

Now in its 25th year, The City Food & Drink Lecture is an annual, invitation-only, high-profile fixture in both the City of London and international food and drink industry calendars. Each year, the Lecture is delivered by a leading figure in the food business, invited to speak on the issues they consider most important in shaping how food and drink is produced, distributed, marketed, sold, and consumed.

Title of Lecture: Can Britain’s food and drink industry make the next 25 years healthier than the last?

In the City Food and Drink Lecture’s 25th lecture, Professor Susan Jebb OBE will look at the health of the nation and the impact that what we eat and drink has on our health. What should the sector consider doing differently to better serve consumers of the future? Or will new medical advances solve the problems? Can we reconcile health and growth for the food industry?

Keynote Speaker: Professor Susan Jebb OBE, Professor of Diet and Population Health at the University of Oxford

Interactive Q&A Panel:

Prof. Dr. Louise O. Fresco is a leading scholar and policy advisor in global food security and sustainable agriculture. Lousie was our highly acclaimed keynote speaker at the City Food & Drink Lecture in 2020 , her chosen title being ‘Fish nor Flesh or Both? Foods for the future’.

Mr Ash Amirahmadi OBE, CEO of Sofina Foods Europe

Ash, in his previous role as Managing Director of Arla UK, was a popular choice as the City Food & Drink Lecture keynote speaker in 2022 delivering ‘Food’s Defining Decade: Finding a way to feed the world while protecting the planet’

Mr Ian Wright CBE Board chair, NED and adviser and frequent commentator.

Having brought energy and insight to the debate as a panellist also at the 2020 City Food & Drink Lecture, we are delighted to welcome him back.

Our Panel Chair, Charlotte Smith is a freelance journalist and broadcaster specialising in food, farming and rural affairs. She is a presenter on BBC One’s Countryfile and BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today. We are delighted to welcome her back to chair her 6th City Food & Drink panel . 

Timings:

• 17:30 Doors Open
• 18:35 Welcome, Lecture, and Panel Session
• 20:30 Buffet Supper
• 21:45 Event Concludes

Important booking info

Registration

Kindly note that all guests to CFDL26 are by invitation only. The link below should only be used by Liverymen and their guests and must not be passed on.

Register your place to attend the City Food & Drink Lecture 2026 at Guildhall, London by following this link:

Link to CFDL 2026 Registration Portal using the passcode: CFDL2026!

(Note: It’s best to copy and paste the passcode to avoid errors. If typing manually, make sure the exclamation mark! is included. 

Cost

There is a cost of £68 + VAT per person, which includes the hot buffet supper with drinks and will be invoiced directly by WCB. Please note we only have 40 tickets allocated to us.

Registration closes Wednesday 9th February 2026, or earlier if capacity is reached.

The link will take you to Eventbrite to make your online booking. Please read the booking notes below.

BOOKING NOTES

1. Navigate through to the Eventbrite registration page and select Butchers’ Company and Guests from the list. Although the website states that the tickets are free, WCB will charge you as previously advised.

2.   Follow the instructions ensuring you enter all your details and those of your guest (s) accurately as this is what will appear on all correspondence and in the guest list. There are additional questions regarding dietaries and name of the person who invited you (the latter is for your guests completing the form themselves).

3.    An immediate confirmation email will be sent to you with your ticket. Before you leave the registration site, check to see if you have received this. We advise you to also check in spam if you can’t see it.

4. Provided you select to agree to your details being used by the organisers of the CFDL, you will then be sent further information about the event as well as your entry pass into Guildhall.

Book now