The Retail Fair at Food and Drink Expo 2000 promises a rich choice of treats from around the globe. We preview a tasty selection of new products Packed with innovations and interesting developments, the retail show will be the launchpad of Dutch based food group Zwanenberg's new amalgamated UK operation. Headed by group md Richard Burdekin, the new group brings together three meat producers: Rea Valley Foods (ox and lunch tongue), Puredrive Fine Foods (pâté chubs, deli sticks, ready to eat sausages and other meat products) and Sturko Meats (fresh pork to retail and deli outlets). Zwanenberg is showing its latest range of continental style deli meats, dry and smoked sausage and canned meats. S&A Foods, a leading player in the ready meal market with a range of recipe dishes that stretches from Chinese, Thai, Malaysian and European to Indian and Middle Eastern, will have samples from its extensive portfolio on display. With a customer base that includes the major multiples, S&A's operation is geared to producing bespoke products for specific needs ­ Asda's curry pot counter is one of its successes. Its latest development is to supply products for Waitrose's first ever noodle bar. The takeaway service includes an array of Japanese, Singaporean, Thai, Indonesian, and Chinese noodle dishes. Taking the ethnic theme further will be Tomen UK which is showing its new range of authentic Japanese sushi ready meals and sandwiches, including an exotic fruit sandwich called koraku. Visitors will be able to sample sushi at Tomen's sushi hut' stand. Ready meals will also be featured by King Cuisine, along with salads, sandwich fillings, sauces and other speciality products, some of them showcased for the first time at the exhibition. Having extended its Sammy's flavoured couscous range, First Quality Foods is launching an organic line with French Provencal and Italian pesto flavour variants. They can be cooked and ready to eat in two minutes, says the company. It is also presenting Sammy's easy cook polenta with basil and tomato, and fruit flavoured organic flapjacks under the Ma Baker brand. Fine food will be strongly represented throughout the exhibition. L'Aquila Importers is to feature a new range of dried wild and exotic fungi ingredients, including slices, pieces and powders of varieties such as ceps (porcini), chanterelles, morels, shiitake and slippery jack. It is also promoting its Mediterranean vegetables, including new semi dried tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, dried peppers and char grilled marinated artichokes, peppers and aubergines. New Karyatis olive products and Iliada vinegar will be featured by Greek food specialist Odysea, while deli and restaurant supplier Issimo Trading is to present its range of Italian produce, including Taralli snacks, olives, antipasta and pesto sauces. In the same vein, Trustin the Foodfinders is to show Wessex Fare's new Mehico fresh salsa and the recently launched Kylin fresh stir-fry range comprising six oriental flavours. Jethro's is to launch a green chilli and coriander sauce, a milder version of its chilli vinaigrette. Following the pattern of the company's other sauces, it is 100% natural and GM free. Look out for its range of marinades which are sporting new names and labels. UK frozen food supplier CFG is to unveil its new range of frozen premium hand made New York canapés and appetisers which include Alaskan caviar en croute, white Cheddar cheese swan, Caribbean style prawn tartlet, and Nova salmon rosette. Its heat 'n' eat New York appetisers range includes artichoke filo pastry and tomato and pinenut tartlet. An interesting source of new products is Kiril Mischeff which supplies all sectors of the food industry with a range that includes vegetables, fruit, edible oils, fish, meat, spices, edible seeds and pulses in aseptic, frozen, ambient, brined and dehydrated form. All its products are sourced from quality growers and processors around the world. Representing the spice industry will be AR Parkin with its range of dried seasonings, herbs and spices plus a new organics line, and Fiddes Payne with its Grind Fresh spice mills that include a sweet version, sugar 'n' spice, and a pep 'n' spice for dips, fillings and marinades. It is also showing a range of spice blends produced in conjunction with top chef Anton Mosimann, plus Hidden Valley, a range of pulse, rice and pasta dishes. Cavive Trading is showing its spice grinders in 12 unusual flavour combinations that include sea salt with seaweed and lemongrass, and a mix of exotic dried mushrooms. On the snack front Stour Valley Foods is showing TZ, its new maize snack in Wicked Spicy Sauce and Wicked Savoury Cheese flavours. It is also presenting its two new organic crisps, traditional sea salted and sun dried tomato, aimed at adult consumers. Lamb Weston is providing tastings of its new American potato specialities which include a range of wedges, cubes, hash browns and sticks, while Proper Cornish is featuring its authentic pasties, plus meat pies and sausage rolls. Another first at the show is Big Al's sizzling express burger and bun and hot 'n' crispy baguettes, developed to cater to the demand for premium quality snack products in forecourt and fast food operations. Scotland is also competing in the burger stakes with Highlander Beef Burgers which will be inviting visitors to sample its products made from prime quality, farm assured Scottish beef. Value added duck is the province of Manor Farm Ducklings which is presenting a range of fresh and frozen products. On a lighter note, Weight Watchers from Heinz and Gibsons are teaming up to show the Heinz sandwich range launched last summer. The joint venture has been extremely successful, according to Gibsons, with the company about to launch new variants. It will feature a range of new gourmet fillings and American style subs'. One of the UK's largest processors of fresh chilled and frozen seafood products, Young's Bluecrest Seafood is exhibiting plain and coated fillets, fish fingers, fish cakes, prawns and scampi and Young's branded range. On a sweet note, Porter Foods is featuring dulche de leche, the creamy caramel filling which can be used as a spread, topping and in desserts. The company is also exhibiting Canada Gold maple syrup, and its range of Thai seasonings. Confectionery is represented by toffee manufacturer Walkers' Nonsuch which is featuring its gift range and redesigned packaging and point of sale display units for its Nonsuch Selection hammer pack. Bakery companies will be out in force at the show. Among them, Wholebake is displaying its range of flapjacks, organic flapjacks and cereal bars that contain no artificial additives, GM ingredients or hydrogenated fats. All products are hand made and are suitable for vegetarians. Celebrating 60 years in the bakery business, Cole's Traditional Foods has created a champagne pudding which will be exhibited along with its range of Christmas puddings, fruit cakes and other seasonal accompaniments. A selection of individual cake slices in carrot, banana, chocolate fudge, coffee, toffee and lemon varieties will be on the stand of Blackfriars. They have a minimum shelf life of 12 weeks which the company says reduces purchase risk for smaller retailers. Otis Spunkmeyer, US producer of ready made frozen cookie dough, will be sampling its range of fresh baked cookies and muffins. Eight flavours make up the company's original Sweet Discovery range. Gourmet Muffins are a prepackaged thaw and serve product in nine flavours. Delifrance, manufacturer of premium French bakery products, is to serve up its new Napoli lattice savoury at the show. This product is one of the latest additions to its range of French savouries. Similarly, Kara Fletchers is displaying its latest La Boulangerie Française bake off range made from French wheat. On the drinks side, Radnor Hills is featuring Quenchena, its latest thirst quencher which contains clarified fruit juice and comes in lime and kiwi, cranberry and raspberry, apple and melon, and peach and grapefruit flavours. Fruit smoothies will be featured by Pete & Johnny, and Fontana is to launch a "fun and fruity cooler range" of Smooth Juice. Ice crystal soft drinks will be available on Frooza UK's stand including Frooza 5 Star ­ the new addition to its range. Making its debut is DNA, a new alcoholic spring water drink from New Age Brands. The drink is a natural flavoured premium carbonated spring water which has a naturally fermented alcohol content of 5% by volume. Made by South Australian based company South Stage Food & Beverage, it has sales of over 80m bottles worldwide according to New Age Brands. {{FOCUS SPECIALS }}