Food & Hospitality Queensland Set for Massive 2026 Gathering in Brisbane
Food & Hospitality Queensland (FHQ) opens its doors at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre on Monday 12 and Tuesday 13 October 2026, bringing together over 6,500 industry professionals under one roof.
Catch top chef Mark Normoyle on the arena floor at the Australian Pizza Championships during Food & Hospitality Brisbane.
It’s the state’s largest dedicated foodservice, retail, and convenience trade event, FHQ combines product discovery, live competitions, and free education across eight stages. With 170+ exhibitors, 1,200+ products on display, and hundreds of industry experts speaking, it is the essential spring gathering for operators, chefs, and suppliers looking to build connections and drive venue profitability.
Key industry figures available for interview on-site include Phillip Di Bella (The Coffee Commune), Wes Lambert (ARCA), Jenna Muhor (Paddock Bakery), Nerida Kong (Fonzie Abbott), Chris Ravlich (Retail Food Group), and Julie Dundon (Nutrition Professionals Australia).
To ensure you get the absolute most out of the exhibition if you are in the Coffee or Cafe Business. Drop by Stand J-15 to meet Nicholas Rae, Head of Coffee at Toby’s Estate.
Nicholas Rae, Head of Coffee, Toby’s Estate at Food & Hospitality Week.
Tip 1: What’s your best tip for a Cafe worker or Barista to get the absolute most out of Food & Hospitality Week on Day 1?
Nicholas Rae: Get straight to Hall J-12. We’re setting up a full Toby’s Café & Bar experience with zero secrets, you can stand right at the bench and watch how proper specialty coffee gets extracted, calibrated, and poured in real time.
Order it, watch the workflow, see it built, and taste it. We’re pouring 7 different Single Origins, our signature house blend Woolloomooloo and signature drink; The Choc Mint Mont Blanc."
Come and order a cup, watch how we build it, and check out what Toby’s is bringing to the table.
Tip 2: What will make top-tier Cafe owners and Barista’s say, "Yep, I need to be there"?
Nicholas Rae: Come and discover what a Coffee Omakase experience is all about. Showcasing the versatility of a single origin, hot vs. cold, espresso vs. milk, is pure art for coffee lovers. It’s a curated, coffee tasting journey guided by our baristas:
1 Single Origin Espresso — served two ways (black espresso & milky coffee).
1 Single Origin Filter — served both cold and hot.
Guests are taken through a curated selection of coffees, one single origin espresso (served as an espresso and milky coffee), and one single origin filter (served cold and hot).
Unique café offering: Customers can visit any of our 3 flagship cafes in Australia (Chippendale, Fitzroy, Newstead) to taste 2 blends, 3 single origin espressos – that’s 5 espressos they can choose to have with milk any time they want. Our single origins also change every month, meaning people can try something new every single month.
So that’s 5 distinct espresso options on rotation with new single origins dropping every single month so there’s always something new to discover.
For smaller cafes wanting to sell more coffee? If you run a small café and want to boost your volume, put yourself in your customer’s shoes. If someone has only a $10 budget in their pocket, why should they spend it at your counter instead of the shop down the street.
As a venue operator, you have to treat every single coffee transaction like a premium experience and are you giving them a reason to make your shop their daily habit?
Volume isn't built on novelty but built on value, consistency, and making people want to come back tomorrow.
Your thoughts on Australian coffee? A handful of local growers are producing seriously impressive stuff, but supply is tiny compared to the massive demand from roasters. It’s mostly cultivated in pockets around Byron Bay and the Sunshine Coast—so when you get your hands on a good lot, it’s a real treat.
Best coffee line you’ve heard? Did you enjoy it!
See you at Food & Hospitality Week!
Food & Hospitality Week at BCEC, Brisbane
Cnr Merivale and Glenelg Street, Southbank, Brisbane, Australia.
When: 12-13 October (Mon–Tue)
Hours: Mon & Tue 9am–5pm
Website: Food & Hospitality Queensland
