10 must-attend food and beverage conferences
The food and beverage business is a huge industry that includes agriculture, food processing, wholesale and distribution, retail, technology, and even marketing. If you’re in the food and beverage business, here are 10 must-attend conferences and networking opportunities that cover everything from wine, natural products to restaurant technology.
Quick Overview of Upcoming Events
| Conference Name | Location | Date | Attendees |
|---|---|---|---|
| PMA Fresh Summit | Anaheim, CA | October 17-19, 2014 | 20,000 |
| Direct to Consumer Wine Symposium | Concord, CA | January 14-15, 2015 | 300 |
| Natural Products Expo West | Anaheim, CA | March 5-8, 2015 | 67,000 |
| International Restaurant & Foodservice Show | New York, NY | March 8-10, 2014 | 16,000 |
| New England Food Show | Boston, MA | March 15-17, 2015 | 14,000 |
| MURTEC | Las Vegas, NV | March 17-19, 2015 | 550 |
| NRA Show & IWSB | Chicago, IL | May 16-19, 2015 | 44,000 |
| Sweets and Snacks Expo | Chicago, IL | May 19-21, 2015 | 16,000 |
Detailed Conference Highlights
PMA Fresh Summit
Location: Anaheim Convention Center – Anaheim, CA. Date: October 17-19, 2014. Attendees: 20,000. Fresh Summit is the must-attend event for you and your colleagues. It’s where produce and floral industry leaders from around the world converge to share ideas, breakthroughs and inspiration.
Direct to Consumer Wine Symposium
Location: Hilton Concord Hotel – Concord, CA. Date: January 14-15, 2015. Attendees: 300. This is the national wine industry’s only annual conference on direct marketing and sales — a must-attend event for every level in the company, and the only summit organized by vintners, for vintners.
RFMA 2015 Annual Conference
Location: San Diego Convention Center – San Diego, CA. Date: February 1-3, 2015. The RFMA 2015 Annual Conference is your next big chance to network with the largest gathering of restaurant facility professionals and vendors. It’s the one place where you can share insights and learn about the newest products and services needed to succeed. We will have all of the information you need to help you buckle up for a successful 2015!
Natural Products Expo West
Location: Anaheim Convention Center – Anaheim, CA. Date: March 5-8, 2015. Attendees: 67,000. Natural Products Expo West continues to be the leading trade show in the natural, organic and healthy products industry, attracting over 67,000 industry professionals and 3,000 exhibits to the Anaheim Convention Center. Rated as one of the top 200 trade shows in the US by Tradeshow Week, Natural Products Expo West continues to help attendees reach their business goals.
International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York
Location: Javits Center – New York, NY. Date: March 8-10, 2014. Attendees: 16,000. The International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York is the only all-encompassing event in New York for the restaurant and foodservice industry, making it THE one-stop source for everything you need to succeed in today’s market.
New England Food Show
Location: Boston Convention Center – Boston, MA. Date: March 15-17, 2015. Attendees: 14,000. The New England Food Show is the region’s largest event focused on the retail and foodservice markets. NEFS is THE place in New England to get inspired and source wicked good foods, beverages, and equipment ideas you can use to establish, build and grow your business.
MURTEC: Multi-Unit Restaurant Technology Conference
Location: Caesars Palace – Las Vegas, NV. Date: March 17-19, 2015. Attendees: 550. As the must-attend event to learn about the latest innovations and get up-to-speed on how to leverage new technologies, MURTEC® is lauded as the ‘gold standard’ for restaurant technology insight offering both compelling sessions and top-notch networking opportunities.
National Restaurant Association Restaurant (NRA) & International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event
Location: McCormick Place – Chicago, IL. Date: May 16-19, 2015. Attendees: 44,000. Join your industry and arm yourself for another year with the latest products, services and insights from more then 2,000 exhibitors and hundreds of industry leaders.
Sweets and Snacks Expo
Location: McCormick Place – Chicago, IL. Date: May 19-21, 2015. Attendees: 16,000. After the sold out, record-setting show in May of 2014, the Sweets and Snacks Expo remains a premier event for industry networking and sourcing.
