SAN DIEGO, CA September 1, 2011 – Thousands of restaurant and foodservice industry professionals enjoyed three days of networking and developing business relationships at the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo which was held at the San Diego Convention Center, August 26-28, 2011. The event was sponsored by the California Restaurant Association.
“San Diego was a terrific venue. The event offered a dynamic meeting place with top education, thousands of products, networking opportunities, culinary demonstrations and more,” said Ron Mathews, Industry Vice President for Reed Exhibitions’ Foodservice Events. “This year’s event was amazing, and we thank our exhibitors, our attendees, our speakers, and the California Restaurant Association. The event is more than a tradeshow, it is a complete learning experience that improves our attendees business throughout the year.”
Many exhibitors commented that the turnout and lead quality was excellent. Thomas Buchberg, Vice President, Operation and Logistics for Greendustries Packaging, said “We had a great show, not only were we awarded the best new product of the show for our biodegradable PleatPak, we met with many exciting new customers who are interested in partnering with us.” Executives from Dayva International from Huntington Beach, CA, commented, “This was the best show, we sold 25 heaters and expect to sell more from leads after the show.” And Steve Munoz from ShirtWerx, Inc. from Lake Elsinore, CA, said “The attendees we met with were strong buyers, we had a greater number of strong leads on the first day compared to other events.”
Highlights of the event, included:
- A popular spot on the Show floor was the Innovative New Product Gallery where the newest and most innovative products were introduced into the marketplace. During the first two days of the Show thousands of attendees cast their votes and winners were chosen for the People’s Choice Awards. The first place winner was Greendustries for their PleatPak Packaging. The 2nd place winner was JNC Enterprises for their “Napkin”; and the 3rd place winner was Bamboo Studio for their BAMBOOWARE. In addition Joy Calkins from Pay Pros won a $250 shopping spree on the show floor.
- Several celebrity chefs were seen at the Show including Bravo’s Top Chef Masters Mark Peel, Owner Campanile, The Tar Pit; Top Chef Brian Malarkey, Owner of Searsucker; Certified Master Chef Edward G. Leonard, Le Cordon Bleu and others.
- Hundreds of attendees received free education at The Ferdinand Metz Foodservice Forum. Popular sessions included a keynote presentation by Kat Cole, President of Cinnabon, Inc.; the Foodservice Council for Women Session moderated by Kathleen Wood who discussed the key secrets for professional growth for women in food service; Chef vs. Bloggers where Chefs and Restaurateurs took on the Food industry Bloggers and online review sites. Le Cordon Blue (www.chefs.edu) was the supporting sponsor of the 2011 Ferdinand Metz Foodservice Forum.
-more-
- CRA Educational Foundationand Habit Burger Grill team raised funds and awareness for the foundation’s Enhanced ProStart program. Executives from the CRA were at the Show to talk about how the Educational Foundation has awarded more than $1 million in scholarships and grants since its inception in 1981.
- Expo Comida Latina - the only industry trade event focused on the Hispanic retail and foodservice markets offered thousands of new and traditional Hispanic flavors and products are presented, along with 300 booths of food, education sessions on Hispanic market trends, and culinary demonstrations by top chefs, including Chef La La.
- Solutions Center sponsored by Living Social: An interactive meeting place on the Show floor offered unlimited access to information about the latest trends. This Solutions Center offered the New Product Gallery, the Consultant Center and Education Area.
- The Ultimate Barista Challenge™ announced the winners of several competitions. Michael Richardson of Kean Coffee in Newport Beach, CA was named the Latte Art Champion and Overall Points Winner. Ultimate Barista Heather Perry of Coffee Klatch Roasting in San Dimas, CA was named Espresso Frappe Champion and Best of Brew Champion. Ultimate Barista James Duncan of Catalina Coffee in Houston, TX won several earlier competitions and will represent the United States in Shanghai, China.
- At the close of the Show, the exhibitors of the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo donated thousands of pounds of food to Father Joe’s Village, Father Joe's Villages, an internationally recognized, cutting edge provider of innovative housing programs and services that save and inspire lives. Their Mission is to help their neighbors in need by providing a "Continuum of Care" that promotes a pathway to self-sufficiency and independence.
About The Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo
The 2012 Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo will be held Sunday, August 12 through Tuesday, August 14, 2012 at the Anaheim Convention Center. The show is produced and managed by Reed Exhibitions, and sponsored by the California Restaurant Association. Reed Exhibitions produces several other foodservice events including the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show scheduled for Thursday, September 8 – Saturday, September 10, 2011 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL and the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York to be held Sunday, March 4 – Tuesday, March 6, 2012 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York. For more information on exhibiting or attending future events, call (888) 334-8705 or visit the official Show website at www.thefoodshows.com.