Three more sign on as Food Expo sponsors: trade organizations representing frozen foods, beverages and bottled water join the line-up at Worldwide Food Expo - Worldwide Food Expo Preview - Calendar

Food & Drug Packaging, Sept, 2003

AT-A-GLANCE

What: Worldwide Food Expo

When: 10:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Oct. 29-31 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Nov. 1

Where: McCormick Place, Chicago

The biggest trade show for products and services for the food industry just got bigger.

The American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI), the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) and the Beverage Marketing Corp. (BMC) have joined the line-up of industry organizations for this year's Worldwide Food Expo, to be held Oct. 29-Nov. 1 at McCormick Place in Chicago. They now are part of a team that includes the American Meat Institute (AMI), the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and the International Association of Food Industry Suppliers (IAFIS).

The new organizations will round out the Worldwide Food Expo's coverage, making it even more comprehensive. AFFI will showcase the world's leading suppliers of processing, freezing, packaging, storage and distribution equipment and systems. IBWA will combine programming about trends, regulations and other topics of concern to water bottlers with a Bottled Water Pavilion on the show floor. BMC will expand the Expo's already substantial educational programming by presenting a series of sessions that cover beverage packaging, distribution, finance, logistics, sales and marketing, merchandising, production and more.

Held every two years, the Worldwide Food Expo attracts more than 30,000 visitors from 150 nations to see more than 1,200 exhibitors in 1.2 million feet of floor space. Show personnel reported in early August that registrations were running nearly 20% ahead of the numbers preregistered at the same point prior to the last Food Expo, in 2001. Packaging will be one of the major industry concerns to be addressed, along with processing, ingredients and services.

"This strong, early showing indicates that Worldwide Food Expo '03 will deliver the year's best opportunity to connect food industry buyers and sellers from around the world," says IDFA President and CEO E. Linwood Tipton. "Food and beverage executives are reacting very positively to the new sponsors and excitement around the '03 event. We expect that registration will continue to build."

Special pavilions and events

Various expositions and pavilions at Worldwide Food Expo will cover a comprehensive range of foods and beverages. The Meat, Poultry and Seafood Exposition will return from the three previous Food Expos; the Food and Dairy Exposition has been expanded into the Food, Dairy and Beverage Exposition. In addition, special pavilions will include the Bev Expo Zone; IBWA's Bottled Water Pavilion; the Distribution, Refrigeration and Facilities Pavilion (sponsored by Refrigerated & Frozen Foods magazine, a sister publication of Stagnito Communications); and the Product Development Pavilion.

In addition to the pavilions, each of the major product categories will be covered by numerous seminars. More then 50 educational workshops will emphasize new technologies in the food industry. The sessions will include "tracks" for dairy, frozen foods, meat/poultry/seafood, beverages and bottled water. Topics of special interest to packaging professionals will include: country-of-origin labeling, virtual plant tours, milk products for vending machines, labeling regulations for bottled water, case-ready meats and more. A full schedule of packaging-related seminars will be published in next month's Food & Drug Packaging.

Social events will give attendees an opportunity to network with and enjoy the company of their industry colleagues. These include:

* Wed., Oct. 29: The IDFA/IAFIS Welcome to Chicago Reception (ticketed event) will provide attendees with a taste of the cuisine and music of Asia, Central America, Europe and the United States. The IB WA Supplier Opening Reception (invitation-only) will allow bottled water industry attendees to catch up with that segment.

* Thurs., Oct. 30: The Food, Dairy and Beverage International Reception (ticketed event) will welcome attendees from around the world. The IBWA Chairman's Banquet will feature the satirical Second City comedy troupe.

* Fri., Oct. 31: The Washington Insider Breakfast (ticketed event) will be hosted by Fred Barnes, executive editor of The Weekly Standard and co-host of the "Beltway Boys" show on Fox News Channel. The Food, Dairy & Beverage "Moonlight Magic" Reception (ticketed event) will feature tarot card and palm readers, magicians, carnival performers and cabaret music. The AMI Chairman's Gala (ticketed event) at Chicago's Field Museum will include the passing of the gavel from current AMI chairman Rick Searer, president of Oscar Mayer Foods, to the new chairman.

* Sat., Nov. 1: The Collegiate Contest Awards Breakfast (ticketed event) will honor the winners of this year's Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest.

Another highlight of the event will be the opening address by James Baker III, former U.S. secretary of state, on Oct. 29.

The Worldwide Food Expo is well set up to cater to visitors from overseas. The show has received, for the fourth consecutive time, acceptance into the International Buyer Program by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The International Buyer Program promotes the show and its exhibitors through U.S. consulates and trade missions around the world by facilitating meetings with qualified foreign buyers, representatives and distributors; offering access to international trade leads mad export counseling from U.S. Commercial Service industry experts; and providing on-site assistance at the show.