All Things Organic and Fancy Food to break from United/FMI in 2008
All Things Organic and Fancy Food to break from United/FMI in 2008
The produce industry's United Fresh Marketplace and the Food Marketing Institute's supermarket show will go it alone in Las Vegas in 2008, as the Fancy Food Show and All Things Organic announced they will be staying in Chicago.
In recent years, United Fresh has marketed its May trade show as a way for attendees to participate in five shows - the United Produce Show, the Fancy Foods Show, All Things Organic, U.S. Food Export Showcase and FMI Supermarket Industry Exhibition -- for one admission price. The show organizers have maintained that all five shows would allow participants to be exposed to new business opportunities and battle conference fatigue.
But when the Food Marketing Institute voted to leave Chicago and announced it was going to reconsider a yearly trade show, the Organic Trade Association started reconsidering its plans, said OTA's Barbara Haumann.
In December, FMI announced that starting in 2008, it would begin alternating its trade show with a leadership education forum, which will launch in Dallas in 2009. Many FMI members were interested in attending the FMI show and its retail technology show, MarkeTechnics, said FMI's Claudia Peters. Starting this year, FMI's supermarket and technology shows will be combined.
When the other partners heard that FMI was reconsidering its 2008 plans, OTA evaluated its trade show and found, "We're very happy with Chicago," and decided not to leave the venue, said Ms. Haumann. "We're very optimistic our show will still be healthy, and we're pleased to be with [the Fancy Food Show]."
With the organic industry booming, Trade Show Week named the All Things Organic show as one of the 50 fastest-growing shows in 2006. Ms. Haumann said that OTA is in talks with other partners for the April 27-29, 2008, show at Chicago's McCormick Place.
"It will change the focus," said Jerry Welcome of the United Fresh Produce Association. "It won't be the power of five anymore."
But Mr. Welcome said that United Fresh decided it was important for its members to reach "strategic decision-makers" from retail, and that the FMI show was a critical partner for produce businesses. FMI said that the synergy with United Fresh was enough for it to continue next year in Las Vegas, he said.
Mr. Welcome said that organic products will be well represented at the fruit and vegetable show, and that companies may benefit from not having to exhibit at two shows at the same time.
The National Association for the Specialty Food Trade Inc. said that its Fancy Food Shows attract 19,000 to 32,000 attendees from specialty food, wine, gift and department stores, supermarkets, restaurants, mail-order and other related businesses.
"We believe in Chicago as the place to bring key buyers together and excite them with the global and local specialty, natural and organic food products that are fueling the growth of the industry, both at retail and for foodservice," said NASFT President Ann Daw.
The two groups hope to continue attracting buyers from organic, natural, specialty, foodservice and gift businesses, while continuing to draw supermarkets and mass merchants.
The U.S. Food Export Showcase, a show sponsored by agriculture agencies, is a way for small and mid-size food manufacturers to access international markets.
That group has yet to make a decision for the 2008 venue, but it plans to make an announcement before the May show in Chicago.
In the meantime, United Fresh has yet to make a decision on the 2009 show. "FMI is going to an educational forum in Dallas and we're still thinking it through," said Mr. Welcome. "We're supposed to sit down with them soon."
In recent years, United Fresh has marketed its May trade show as a way for attendees to participate in five shows - the United Produce Show, the Fancy Foods Show, All Things Organic, U.S. Food Export Showcase and FMI Supermarket Industry Exhibition -- for one admission price. The show organizers have maintained that all five shows would allow participants to be exposed to new business opportunities and battle conference fatigue.
But when the Food Marketing Institute voted to leave Chicago and announced it was going to reconsider a yearly trade show, the Organic Trade Association started reconsidering its plans, said OTA's Barbara Haumann.
In December, FMI announced that starting in 2008, it would begin alternating its trade show with a leadership education forum, which will launch in Dallas in 2009. Many FMI members were interested in attending the FMI show and its retail technology show, MarkeTechnics, said FMI's Claudia Peters. Starting this year, FMI's supermarket and technology shows will be combined.
When the other partners heard that FMI was reconsidering its 2008 plans, OTA evaluated its trade show and found, "We're very happy with Chicago," and decided not to leave the venue, said Ms. Haumann. "We're very optimistic our show will still be healthy, and we're pleased to be with [the Fancy Food Show]."
With the organic industry booming, Trade Show Week named the All Things Organic show as one of the 50 fastest-growing shows in 2006. Ms. Haumann said that OTA is in talks with other partners for the April 27-29, 2008, show at Chicago's McCormick Place.
"It will change the focus," said Jerry Welcome of the United Fresh Produce Association. "It won't be the power of five anymore."
But Mr. Welcome said that United Fresh decided it was important for its members to reach "strategic decision-makers" from retail, and that the FMI show was a critical partner for produce businesses. FMI said that the synergy with United Fresh was enough for it to continue next year in Las Vegas, he said.
Mr. Welcome said that organic products will be well represented at the fruit and vegetable show, and that companies may benefit from not having to exhibit at two shows at the same time.
The National Association for the Specialty Food Trade Inc. said that its Fancy Food Shows attract 19,000 to 32,000 attendees from specialty food, wine, gift and department stores, supermarkets, restaurants, mail-order and other related businesses.
"We believe in Chicago as the place to bring key buyers together and excite them with the global and local specialty, natural and organic food products that are fueling the growth of the industry, both at retail and for foodservice," said NASFT President Ann Daw.
The two groups hope to continue attracting buyers from organic, natural, specialty, foodservice and gift businesses, while continuing to draw supermarkets and mass merchants.
The U.S. Food Export Showcase, a show sponsored by agriculture agencies, is a way for small and mid-size food manufacturers to access international markets.
That group has yet to make a decision for the 2008 venue, but it plans to make an announcement before the May show in Chicago.
In the meantime, United Fresh has yet to make a decision on the 2009 show. "FMI is going to an educational forum in Dallas and we're still thinking it through," said Mr. Welcome. "We're supposed to sit down with them soon."
