In association with
THE DEFINITIVE
INDUSTRY CONFERENCE
FOR THE COLD CHAIN
BOOKINGS OPEN!
15 – 16 OCTOBER 2025 / TELFORD INTERNATIONAL CENTRE
Bookings now open for Cold Chain Live! 2025. Every year Cold Chain Live! has been a sell out, so book early to guarantee your place.
In 2024 we had another fabulous event with rave reviews – a fantastic conference programme tackling the key challenges for businesses operating in the UK cold chain and beyond made Cold Chain Live! the must-attend event of the year. A new venue with easy access, loads of free parking and hotels within walking distance made for a hassle-free delegate experience, whilst a bigger exhibition hall allowing for more options including trailers and product demos gave our exhibitors the opportunity to have those all-important conversations.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM COLD CHAIN LIVE! 2025
- Unmissable two-day conference with content highlighting national and global trends affecting the cold chain
- Bigger exhibition hall to accommodate a wide range of exhibitors
- Vehicle & trailer displays plus product demonstrations
- Drinks reception and Gala Dinner on the evening of day one
- Four Breakout Zones to choose from with tailored content in each
- Innovation Zone presentations during networking breaks, showcasing cold chain innovations
- Cold Chain Federation Emerging Leaders Bursary Awards
- Launch of 2026 Cold Chain Report
CONFERENCE THEMES
THE STATE OF THE COLD CHAIN IN 2025
Our lives and businesses continue to be shaped by fast moving global events. Rapidly changing trade policies, conflicts and the transition to clean energy are influencing inflation, availability of products and key resources such as energy and refrigerants. Yet, as an essential service, UK cold chain continues to attract investment and growth. In the opening session, we look at some of the factors influencing the business of cold chain in 2025.
COLD CHAIN RESILIENCE
Today, the CCF is working hard to persuade the UK government to recognise the sector as Critical National Infrastructure. Our mission is being supported by a growing body of evidence highlighting cold chain’s criticality to food and pharmaceutical supply chains. In this session we focus on food resilience, with details of a major new study detailing cold chain’s role in securing the nation’s food supply and hear an inspiration story of human resilience.
PEOPLE & SKILLS
Attracting and retaining the best people to your business is more vital than ever. This session focusses on the real people who keep the cold chain running. From an industry stalwart who introduced what was a ground-breaking sustainability innovation at the time to celebrating the latest recipients of the CCF’s Emerging Leaders Bursary Winners 2025, we’ll hear why the cold chain inspires the people who work in it. Finally, we will be revealing new CCF research into demographics and recruitment in the cold chain as part of the Cold Chain Report 2026 launch.
NAVIGATING THE FUTURE: AI, AUTOMATION AND CYBER SECURITY
The way we operate cold chain infrastructure is changing. With automation and AI set to play a major role in the future, we will hear from a major cold chain operator on how they are harnessing the benefits of this technology. However, digital growth brings with it another threat – cyber crime. In our closing keynote, we welcome a leading cyber-security expert to share the motives of the criminals and how businesses can stay one step ahead.
MEET OUR CONFERENCE HOST
We are delighted to welcome back Maryam Moshiri as our conference host. Maryam is a chief presenter at BBC News. Her show The World Today launched on the BBC News channel in January 2024, broadcasting to more than 100 million viewers globally. She also presents national news bulletins on BBC One.
Maryam did a fantastic job in 2024 and returns to host the main stage at Cold Chain Live! 2025.
SPEAKER LINE UP
We are delighted to announce our first speakers. Do check back as more exciting speakers are added.
TIM SMITH CBE
Tim is a veteran of the food, drink and farming sector. He has spent more than four decades as a manufacturer and marketer of fresh, frozen and ambient food, as the UK’s food regulator, as part of the top team at the UK’s leading retailer and has worked on food policy for both the government and private sector. Today Tim is Chairman of Cranswick plc, a leading vertically integrated and innovative supplier of premium, fresh and added value food products with UK sales of £2.7bn, employing 15,000 people across 22 well invested sites. He is also a Non-Executive Director at Pret a Manger and Chair and Pro-Chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University. Tim was recently appointed onto the Food Security Advisory Board working alongside DEFRA and other industry leaders to shape the future policy of the British Food industry to ensure it is set to feed the nation, grows the economy and protects the planet. He was named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to agriculture, food, and drink trade policy in the 2022 New Years Honours.
PROF TIM LANG
Tim is Professor Emeritus of Food Policy at City St George’s, University of London. After hill farming in Lancashire in the 1970s, he’s worked on food policy across health, environment, politics and culture. Since writing Feeding Britain (Pelican 2021), he’s focussed on the state of civil food resilience, producing the Just in Case report for the National Preparedness Commission, urging more attention to public preparedness.
JOHN CLARKE
As a former Director of International Affairs at the European Commission, former Head of the EU delegation to the WTO and an EU trade negotiator for 30 years, John is an expert on global trade and political issues. Has negotiated around 60 international agreements for the EU and for Hong Kong. John is a Fellow at the University of Maastricht (Institute for Globalisation and International Regulation), and lecturer at Delhi (Dept of Business), Lausanne, Nice and London Universities. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society and the Club Diplomatique Belge.
MARTINE WRIGHT MBE
Martine is 7/7’s most injured survivor during the 2005 terrorist attacks on the London underground, yet considers herself a lucky woman with a whole new life of opportunities.
She has a phenomenal story of transformation, from despair to determination and triumph.
After losing her legs in the Circle Line bombing during the 2005 London terrorist attacks, Martine Wright rebuilt her life with remarkable purpose. From skydiving and becoming a mother and wife to becoming the Captain of the British Paralympic sitting volleyball team and earning a pilot’s license, Martine epitomizes overcoming adversity. Through her compelling story and refreshingly honest approach, Martine inspires audiences with lessons in Resilient Leadership.
GALA DINNER
Wednesday 15th October
After an absorbing first day at the conference, it’s time to kick back, relax, continue conversations started during the day and make new connections over welcome drinks and dinner. Dinner is a relaxed affair at Cold Chain Live! so no need to dig out the dinner suits unless you really want to! As always there will be something to keep you entertained, but we promise not to make you dance or do the conga this year!
SPONSORSHIPS
We have more sponsorship opportunities available at Cold Chain Live! 2025, from exhibition stands in the conference networking area to branding opportunities at the Gala Dinner.
/ Exhibition Stands / Vehicle Spaces / Ads on the Conference Screen / Lunch Sponsorships / Gala Dinner Sponsorships /
Contact [email protected] for details.
BUY YOUR TICKETS
Every CCF member business is entitled to 2 free tickets to the 2 day conference. This excludes tickets to the Gala Dinner which can be purchased separately below. If you are not a member, please get in touch with [email protected] to discuss membership and booking details.
ACCOMMODATION
There is a range of hotels near the venue to suit all budgets. We have a number of rooms available to book at the Holiday Inn, International Hotel and Ramada Hotel. To reserve rooms at these hotels please call 01952 527 000 and select option 1 for reservations and state the booking is for Cold Chain Live!
Other nearby hotels:
- Premier Inn Telford International – Next to Telford International Centre
- Travelodge Telford – Next to Telford International Centre
- Mercure Telford Centre – 10-15 mins walk from Telford International Centre
- Premier Inn Telford Central – 10-15 mins walk from Telford International Centre
WHAT PEOPLE HAD TO SAY ABOUT COLD CHAIN LIVE! 2024
Get a feel for what is was all about in the video below.
Supported by our Gold Partners
