FUEL LIVE 2026: What happens when 50 food & drink brands get in the same room
If there’s one thing FUEL LIVE 2026 proved, it’s this… food & drink brands aren’t short on ideas. They’re short on clarity, structure, and the space to figure out what actually works.
And that’s exactly why we built FUEL. Now in its third year, it’s grown into a space designed specifically for food & drink founders and marketers who are serious about growth – not just talking about it, but actually doing it.
Created by KW Marketing, FUEL LIVE was never meant to be another “marketing event”. It was built to bring the right people into the room, share what’s really working right now, and give brands the clarity and confidence to move forward.
And this year? It delivered in every way.
A disrupted start… but a room that showed up anyway
The morning didn’t go to plan. The M5, one of the main routes into Devon, was shut. Travel chaos. Delays. A real test before we’d even started. But what happened next said everything.
People still showed up. Founders, marketers, and teams made the effort to be in that room because they wanted more. More clarity. More direction. More growth.
And that energy? You can’t manufacture it.
50 ambitious brands. One very real conversation.
Held at The View, Courtyard Marriott, Exeter, FUEL LIVE brought together over 50 food & drink brands from across the South West and beyond, including Salcombe Gin, Miles Tea & Coffee, Penrhos Spirits, and many more!
This wasn’t a room of passive listeners. It was a room of people asking questions. Challenging ideas. Taking notes. And having honest conversations about what’s working… and what isn’t.
Because the reality is, marketing in 2026 isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing the right things consistently.
Real insight from people doing the work
One of the most important things for us when building FUEL is the people we bring into the room. Not speakers who talk about growth. Speakers who have actually built it.
From George at So Sweet, breaking down how brands are turning attention into real revenue, to Nicola from Single Variety Co sharing an honest journey of building a premium brand on her own terms, every session was grounded in reality.
Alongside this, the KW Marketing team delivered practical workshops focused on what actually moves the needle:
- Building an email strategy that converts, not just “sends”
- Understanding the numbers behind your growth
- Creating content that doesn’t just look good, but drives sales
No fluff. No theory. Just actionable insight.
More than an event… a shift in how brands approach growth
FUEL LIVE wasn’t designed to be another marketing event. It was built to be the kind of space we wish existed:
- Practical.
- Energising.
- Straight-talking.
- Genuinely useful.
- And filled with food!
Because too many brands are stuck in reactive marketing. Posting. Testing. Guessing. FUEL is about changing that. It’s about giving founders and marketers the clarity, confidence, and structure to build something that actually works.
A room powered by people
What made the day wasn’t just the content. It was the people.
The conversations happening over coffee. The connections being made in real time. The “we need to do this in our business” moments.
And the partners and brands behind the scenes, from coffee to goodie bags, who helped bring the experience together.
Events like this aren’t built in the spotlight. They’re built in the unseen moments. The scrappy moments. The team effort behind it all.
FUEL LIVE 2026 was also supported by an incredible group of partners who helped bring the event to life, from industry bodies to creative and PR specialists, including Food Marketing Club, Food WorksSW, Taste Of The West, Hale Events, Rise & Shine, Raw PR, Aisling Magill, and Fleet Street News.
A personal note from Kate
There was a moment, just before we started, where I looked around the room and thought…“This is exactly why we do it.”
Not just to talk about marketing. But to create a space where people feel supported, challenged, and inspired to actually move forward.
The food & drink industry is full of incredible brands. But too many are trying to figure it out alone. FUEL is about changing that.
And judging by the conversations, the feedback, and the energy in that room… We’re just getting started.
What’s next?
FUEL LIVE 2026 wasn’t the end. It was a starting point. For the brands in that room, it’s now about taking action. And for us? It’s about continuing to build something that genuinely supports food & drink brands to grow.
That’s exactly why we’re continuing the conversation through the podcast – sharing real stories, real strategies, and what’s actually working across the industry right now. If you’re a food & drink brand building, scaling, or figuring it out, you can apply to be featured here.
Fuelling UK food & drink growth, one brand at a time 🔥
Photography by Aisling Magill.