What Saladplate does

Saladplate is a B2B content and engagement platform serving the hospitality, food and beverage industry, operating as the official digital hub for Informa Markets' global portfolio of 35+ trade events. The platform distributes weekly news, a bi-monthly e-magazine, whitepapers, country-level Focus On reports, and a Supplier Directory containing 10,000+ brands, companies, and products refreshed monthly across categories including Bakery, Coffee/Tea, Foodservice Equipment, Hospitality Technology, and Wines/Spirits. It also produces networking event formats such as Business Breakfast, Saladplate Mixer (launched April 2025), and the FutureFWD technology conference (launching at FHA 2026), alongside the Golden Apple Club, an exclusive buyer program offering business matching and concierge services for verified procurement professionals.

The underlying technology is a content management and engagement layer rather than proprietary software; the platform aggregates curated editorial, research from partners such as GlobalData, Technomic, and Euromonitor, and AI/ML-driven trend identification through a partnership with Ai Palette. No proprietary models, patents, or AI/ML R&D are disclosed for Saladplate itself.

The business model is freemium and event-adjacent. Content, the Supplier Directory, and most whitepapers are free to access; revenue is generated through advertising and sponsorship across the website, e-newsletters, e-magazine, and bundled packages with Informa Markets' trade events, supplemented by the Golden Apple Club subscription membership and paid trade event registration services. The audience of 600,000+ verified industry professionals is concentrated in Asia and Australasia (82%), with the remainder across North America, Latin America, the Middle East, and Europe. Because Saladplate is a non-reporting business unit of publicly listed Informa PLC, no standalone revenue, funding, or cap-table information is disclosed.

Name

Saladplate

Legal name

Informa PLC

Website

https://saladplate.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Saladplate is a B2B content and engagement platform connecting hospitality, food and beverage buyers and suppliers. Operated by Informa Markets, it serves 600,000+ verified professionals through news, supplier directory, networking events, and the Golden Apple Club.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Central and Western

HQ country

Hong Kong SAR China

HQ region

Asia

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Advertising and Sponsorship: The platform sells advertising and sponsorship opportunities across its website, e-newsletters, and e-magazine. Branding opportunities include featured web banners, magazine advertisements, and bundled packages with Informa's global portfolio of trade events.
2. Golden Apple Club Membership: Exclusive buyer program offering personalised services, business matching, VIP event access, and dedicated support for verified industry professionals with sourcing needs at trade events.
3. Trade Event Access and Registration: Platform facilitates registration and provides updates for over 35 international trade events, including WOFEX, Newtopia Now, HOTELEX Thailand, and others within the Informa Markets portfolio.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Saladplate is a B2B content and matchmaking platform for the global hospitality, food and beverage industry, combining a curated supplier directory of 10,000+ brands and products with access to 35+ international trade events, industry news, whitepapers, e-magazine, networking events, and an exclusive buyer concierge programme. The platform monetises primarily through advertising and sponsorship, paid membership via the Golden Apple Club, and bundled trade-event branding packages.

Product overview

Saladplate is a content and engagement hub for the Hospitality, Food & Beverage portfolio by Informa Markets. The platform operates as a multi-product content platform featuring a Supplier Directory (access to 10,000+ brands/companies/products), Global Events (35+ trade events), News/Insights, a bi-monthly e-Magazine, Whitepapers, Focus On country reports, Technology Insights, Trends and Outlook reports, Business Breakfast networking events, FutureFWD technology conference, and the Golden Apple Club exclusive buyer programme. Additional revenue services include advertising and sponsorship opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Golden Apple Club: An exclusive buyer programme facilitating sourcing brands, products, and technology at trade events through specialised business matching and diary management concierge services for purchasers representing large corporations.
• FutureFWD
• Business Breakfast
• Saladplate Mixer

Products and services

• Supplier Directory Online B2B directory listing over 10,000 brands, companies, and products across hospitality, food and beverage categories, refreshed monthly for buyers and procurement professionals seeking sourcing options.
• Global Events Trade event access and registration hub covering 35+ international hospitality, food and beverage exhibitions across Asia, Middle East, North America, Latin America, and Europe for industry buyers, suppliers, and exhibitors.
• News and Insights Weekly industry news and analysis content covering trends, products, companies, and technology across hospitality, food service, sustainability, alternative protein, and F&B technology categories.
• e-Magazine Bi-monthly digital magazine featuring interviews with industry leaders, product reviews, and event portfolio updates for hospitality, food and beverage professionals.
• Whitepapers Free downloadable research reports and whitepapers covering market insights, consumer trends, case studies, and market forecasts across hospitality and F&B industry segments.
• Focus On Reports Country-specific food service and beverage industry reports delivering market insights for 14 countries, available as free downloads covering Singapore, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, UAE, Australia, USA, Canada, Philippines, China, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, and the UK.
• Technology Insights Reports examining the digital revolution in the foodservice sector and how restaurants, hotels, and food service operations use technology and data to enhance efficiency, customer experience, and growth.
• Trends and Outlook Deep-dive analysis reports across major foodservice categories examining how consumer preferences, dietary shifts, and cultural influences reshape menu offerings and operational strategies.
• Business Breakfast Free-to-attend networking event series hosted across various cities featuring thought-leader panels and structured networking sessions for hospitality, food and beverage industry professionals.
• FutureFWD 4-day technology conference and showcase spotlighting next-generation solutions for hospitality, foodservice, and retail, featuring AI-assisted service agents, biometric payments, augmented reality, cross-border commerce, robotic-backed service, automated kitchens, data-driven customer insights, and faceless check-in.
• Golden Apple Club Exclusive concierge service and buyer programme for procurement and sourcing professionals attending global hospitality, food and beverage trade events, including business matching programmes, travel assistance, VIP on-site benefits, and year-round access to Saladplate platform features.
• Advertising and Sponsorship Advertising and sponsorship packages offered to F&B brands and suppliers, including featured web banners, e-newsletter placements, e-magazine advertising, targeted email campaigns, Business Breakfast branding, and bundled trade event sponsorship packages.
• Saladplate Mixer Themed industry-specific networking event format hosted across the globe throughout the year, featuring focused 2-hour networking sessions for hospitality, food and beverage industry professionals by sub-sector.

Quantifiable outcome

• 600,000+ verified industry professionals reached
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered technology partner, sustainability partner and strategic partner.

• Ai Palettetechnology partnerTechnology or IntegrationAI and Machine Learning platform enabling Food and Beverage companies to create consumer-winning products. Patented technology identifies food trends across 61B data points from 150+ sources in real time, understanding 18 languages including Asian languages.
• The Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA)sustainability partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSets the Standard for sustainable food and drink businesses globally since 2010. Manages the Food Made Good Standard, world's largest sustainability certification tailored for hospitality sector.
• Food Made Good Standardsustainability partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal sustainability accreditation for hospitality industry operated by The Sustainable Restaurant Association. Awarded to restaurants and F&B businesses meeting criteria across Sourcing, Society and Environment.
• Incitestrategic partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerBridges gap between F&B brands wanting to grow export business in Asia Pacific and practical know-how and networks required for success.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• FoodNavigator: FoodNavigator is a William Reed-owned B2B digital media platform delivering news, analysis, and trend reporting across the global food and beverage industry. It is a directly comparable content-and-engagement hub targeting overlapping F&B buyer, supplier, and R&D audiences with similar supplier-discovery and insight offerings.
• Just-Food: Just-Food is a William Reed/Argus B2B media brand providing news, intelligence and analysis for the global food manufacturing and retail industry. It mirrors Saladplate's model of industry news, supplier intelligence, and research-driven content aimed at F&B decision-makers.
• Food Engineering Magazine: Food Engineering is a long-running B2B media brand covering food processing, packaging, and manufacturing technology for F&B professionals. Like Saladplate, it pairs editorial content with supplier directories and serves a similar industrial/professional buyer base.
• HKTDC (Hong Kong Trade Development Council): HKTDC operates a B2B sourcing marketplace and a portfolio of trade events connecting global buyers and suppliers, with deep Asia reach. It is directly comparable to Saladplate's directory-plus-events model, particularly for the Asia/Australasia audience where 82% of Saladplate's users sit.
• Global Sources: Global Sources runs a B2B sourcing platform and trade shows connecting international buyers with Asia-based suppliers, including in food and hospitality verticals. It is comparable to Saladplate as a hybrid B2B media + trade event + supplier directory operator serving the same F&B buyer and supplier constituencies.
• ThomasNet: ThomasNet is a long-established B2B product sourcing platform connecting industrial buyers with North American suppliers, including food equipment and hospitality categories. It is comparable to Saladplate in business model — supplier directory + content + buyer engagement — even though it is broader in category scope.
• Restaurant Business Media: Restaurant Business is a leading B2B media brand for the US commercial foodservice industry, providing news, trends and operator intelligence. Although it is already a Saladplate media partner, its standalone content + directory + event model is directly comparable to Saladplate's offering to F&B buyers and suppliers.
• FoodService Director: FoodService Director is a B2B media brand serving non-commercial foodservice operators (schools, universities, healthcare, B&I). It is comparable to Saladplate's content-and-engagement model for a narrower F&B buyer segment, and is also listed as a Saladplate media partner.

Broad incumbents

• Reed Exhibitions: Reed Exhibitions is one of the world's largest B2B event operators running hospitality, food and beverage trade shows (e.g., Speciality & Fine Food Fair, IFE). It overlaps with Saladplate through its event portfolio, supplier showcasing and F&B vertical media presence, though at much greater scale and breadth.
• Alibaba (1688.com): Alibaba's 1688.com is a massive B2B sourcing marketplace that includes food, beverage and hospitality suppliers serving international buyers. While broader in scope, it competes with Saladplate for buyer attention and supplier visibility, particularly across Asia.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/_saladplate
• Facebookfacebook.com/saladplate
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saladplate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Saladplate