All FEA members are welcome to join our Product Group Forums.
It’s through these forums that the collaborative power of FEA membership comes to life: members share Information and knowledge with peers facing the same sector challenges, driving Involvement across the industry and helping to create and Influence the policy and standards that shape it.
Product Groups
Business Services are those companies offering a service or commodity to Full members of the FEA. By joining the FEA as a Business Service member it is deemed that the company’s service or commodity would be beneficial to a full member as to either supporting their business or assisting them to grow financially. The commitment from the FEA is to assist in promoting the Business Services to FEA full membership.
The FEA will forward marketing material from a Business Service to the Full members database. There will not be any restriction as to the number of promotional items forwarded during a year. Business Services will be given the opportunity to promote their company at FEA Product Group meetings. Business Services will be actively encouraged to attend the FEA conference and use the conference as a vehicle to promote their company.
The FEA Beverage Group brings together suppliers of commercial beverage equipment to consider common key issues including (but not limited to):
- regulation and legislation affecting Beverage equipment supply
- market supply chain challenges and opportunities
- changing market dynamics
- technology and equipment developments, and
- routes to market and sales opportunities.
The collaboration and knowledge exchange is hugely helpful and whilst participants may be competitors in some markets there is significant value in being able to network, share and resolve common issues.
The purpose of this group is receive specific updates from FEA regarding technical and policy matters affecting the design, manufacture, installation, service, maintenance and energy efficiency of commercial foodservice cooking and warming equipment, including but not limited to:
- Prime cooking appliances
- Hot holding equipment
- Bespoke cooking equipment
- Food regeneration equipment
- Hot food retail and display equipment
The group shall work collaboratively to discuss matters affecting this product group and a colloborative approach taken towards promoting sustainability, energy efficiency and safety of all cooking and warming products. The group shall meet twice per year to discuss matters affecting the industry and receive an updated from FEA’s technical and policy director.
The purpose of this group is to receive specific updates from FEA regarding technical and policy matters affecting the design, installation and operation of commercial foodservice environments.
A community led approach will discuss the impact of current and pending legislation affecting the foodservice industry including but not limited to:
- Construction and refrubishment of foodservice establishments
- Compliance with building, safety and regulation
- Development and implementation of best practice
The group shall work to ensure foodservice projects across the industry are:
- Delivered safely
- Focused on hygiene, ergonomics and successful service delivery
- Delivered with contractual fairness and financial success
This may include, where required, the development of:
- Guidance to foodservice operators
- Manufacturer collaboration including trend and scope gap reporting
- Collaboration with fit out and service contractors to received working environment feedback.
The group will not focus on technical discussions around catering appliances, but will receive updates on key developments in this field from the FEA’s Technical and Policy Director. The group shall meet in person twice per year, and additionally as required by industry developments.
The International Trade Group is designed to support equipment suppliers in all export markets, and in all aspects of their work, around the world.
Getting involved in the International Trade Group is a great opportunity for FEA members to collaborate, share insight, and help shape the future of international trade across our industry. It provides a platform to tackle common challenges such as export logistics, regulation, and market access, while also identifying new growth opportunities and routes to market. By bringing members together, we can exchange practical knowledge, build stronger connections, and ensure our collective voice is heard on the issues that matter most.
The International Trade Group is asking for input from members to tell them what challenges they face and what resources they need to advance their export trade. It will also be looking at whether there are ways that FEA can enhance the help it offers to members who want to exhibit at international trade fairs such a Host and Gulfhost.
The purpose of this group is receive specific updates from FEA regarding technical and policy matters affecting the design, manufacture, installation, service and maintenance of Grease Management Equipment for commercial foodservice businesses, including but not limited to:
- Passive grease traps
- Grease removal units
- Bacteria and enzyme based systems
- Chemical based treatment systems
- Alternative and emerging technologies
The group shall work collaboratively to discuss matters affecting this product group and a colloborative approach taken towards promoting safety and performance of all grease management equipment.
The group has specific aims to:
- Promote the importance of FOG management in hospitality business and compliance with relevant water regulation
- Work collaboratively with each other, and UK water companies, in preventing FOG discharge to the sewer
- Assist in the creation of test standards including equipment, monitoring and sampling
- Promote industry best practice and the FOGWISE grease management guide
- Collaborate with the Grease Contractor Accreditation scheme of which members will be shared and operate as a seperate committee
The group shall meet twice per year to discuss matters affecting the industry and receive an update from FEA’s technical and policy director.
Reducing carbon footprint, energy efficiency, minimising food waste are all the priorities that the LET Group plans to focus on and that our customers increasingly want to know about. The two big challenges facing the LET sector now are supply chain concerns and the need to develop products that can overcome the skills and staff shortage issues that our customers face. The issue of maintaining a reliable supply network has definitely been put in the spotlight by recent world events. Our end users are removed from this to a degree and don’t always see the connection between disruption in the Red Sea and a shortage of their favourite tableware or cookware and this can be a challenge. On the flip side, manufacturers are continually developing products that can help less skilled staff do their job, and increase productivity – so fewer staff can do more.
Making the most of the potential of events like the LET Forum and HRC are so important, as they help us educate the market, so customers can better understand these issues and see the solutions we can offer. The flagship event is the Light Equipment and Tableware Forum. Buyers meet a host of sellers across a day and a half in 20 minute ‘speed dating’ sessions. The LET Group’s newest event is Tabletop Trends Live, an event to reach end users at a central location. These two events are supported by our newsletter, Tabletop Trends, sent out quarterly to inform the industry on what is new and upcoming.
The purpose of this group is receive specific updates from FEA regarding technical and policy matters affecting the design, manufacture, installation, service, maintenance and energy efficiency of commercial refrigeration equipment, including but not limited to:
- Back of house refrigerators and freezers
- Coldrooms
- Front of house refrigerators including joinery integration and semi-professional products
- Retail displays – freestanding and drop-in
- Split pack refrigeration systems
- Blast chillers, ice machines, specialist drink dispense systems and water coolers
The group shall work collaboratively to discuss matters affecting this product group and a colloborative approach taken towards promoting sustainability, energy efficiency and safety of all refrigerating products. The group shall meet twice per year to discuss matters affecting the industry and receive an update from FEA’s technical and policy director.
Service Providers are those member companies that offer an engineering service to support the products they supply or are a standalone engineering service company. Spare Parts are those member companies who supply spare parts to support the product they supply or are standalone company offering spare parts to the Industry. The FEA will support this group by providing up to date information as to any regulatory or legislative advice that may affect service providers or spare parts. The group is to meet on a regular basis to share knowledge as to best practices within this field. The FEA will support this group by offering service technician training courses on specific items of equipment.
This is a specialist group of cross-discipline individuals dedicated to the review of public consultations, technical papers, standards and guidance documentation that FEA receive for comment. The group may also review high level FEA policy proposal for technical appraisal prior to distribution to a specific product group forum. Distribution and inclusion is managed by FEA’s Technical and Policy Director at his/her discretion. On occasion, non FEA members may be invited to collaborate on a specific area of expertise.
The purpose of this group is receive specific updates from FEA regarding technical and policy matters affecting the design, manufacture, installation, service and maintenance of commercial kitchen ventilation systems, their component parts and kitchen fire suppression.
The group shall work collaboratively to discuss matters affecting this product group and a collaborative approach taken towards promoting:
- Energy efficiency
- Hygienic design
- Safe operating environments
- Grease management
- Odour control
The group shall meet twice per year to discuss matters affecting the industry and receive an update from FEA’s technical and policy director. The group will actively promote the working principles of DW/172, conduct reviews and recommend adaptations of this standard in line with market demand emerging technology.
The purpose of this group is receive specific updates from FEA regarding technical and policy matters affecting the design, manufacture, installation, service, maintenance and energy efficiency of commercial warewashing equipment, including but not limited to:
- Back of house plate, cutlery and glass washers of all types (undercounter, hood, rack, flight)
- Sorting, conveyor and consolidation equipment
- Sterilisation equipment
- Water treatment systems
- Food waste management
The group shall work collaboratively to discuss matters affecting this product group and a colloborative approach taken towards promoting sustainability, energy efficiency and safety of all warewashing products. The group shall meet twice per year to discuss matters affecting the industry and receive an update from FEA’s technical and policy director.