Attendance Down at Worldwide Food Expo

Dairy Foods, Dec, 2001

CHICAGO--While attendance was down significantly at Worldwide Food Expo '01, exhibitors reported a high concentration of serious buyers.

The Expo attracted food industry executives to Chicago's McCormick Place about 3/4 of the 35,000 expected. The show took place five weeks after the events of Sept. 11. "What we heard and saw was that the show was a success despite recent events," said Charlie Bray, president of the International Association of Food Industry Suppliers (IAFIS), one of the show's three sponsors. "Exhibitors told us they saw the right people and gathered a lot of great leads."

"The food executives at the show were very glad they came," added E. Linwood Tipton, president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA). "We received many comments about fruitful interaction on the show floor, and about the high quality of the educational programming and networking events."

Dairy Foods took the opportunity to recognize the magazine's New Products Company of the Year with a reception at the show. Publisher Joel Iverson and Contributing Editor Donna Berry presented a plaque to Gary Well's, CEO of Well's Dairy.