The Wisconsin Restaurant Expo, one of the largest and most inclusive state foodservice and hospitality shows in the Midwest, will have a new identity for 2014 – the Midwest Foodservice Expo. This new name and expanded focus coincides with the show’s significant growth in recent years and helps maintain its position as an important business tool for a diverse group of foodservice professionals in the future.
“It has been a very exciting time for growth with the Expo,” says Dawn Faris, vice president of exposition and business development. “We believe that our new name, Midwest Foodservice Expo, will help us with continued growth in all markets moving forward.”
Why the switch from ‘Wisconsin Restaurant Expo’ to the new ‘Midwest Foodservice Expo’?
• ‘Midwest’ is more inclusive of food, beverage, and hospitality professionals from other states attending and reinforces the fact that businesses operating outside of Wisconsin are welcome to attend the Expo.
• ‘Midwest’ increases relevancy to out-of-state industry professionals reading content and advertisements about the Expo in national publications.
• ‘Midwest’ expands opportunities for the Expo’s successful partnership program to include industry associations and foodservice groups in bordering states. More partnerships with organizations in adjoining states will help strengthen the industry in the Midwest region as a whole.
• While restaurants are an important and strong part of the Expo, 47 percent of Expo attendees come from other foodservice segments. ‘Foodservice’ better defines the show’s audience as inclusive to the entire industry, as it always has been intended.
• The event is produced by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association, however similarity between the ‘Wisconsin Restaurant Expo’ name and the association identity may create a misconception that one must be a member of the Association to attend. The new ‘Midwest Foodservice Expo’ name eliminates that confusion. Anyone in the foodservice industry can attend.
“We felt the name should really depict what the event is – an Expo for the entire foodservice industry, not just restaurants,” Faris says. “This Expo is about uniting every segment of the foodservice industry throughout the Midwest to come together, learn from each other, and grow stronger as an industry.”
The Midwest Foodservice Expo is the leading regional event to unite thousands of food and beverage professionals under one roof. The next Midwest Foodservice Expo is planned for March 10-12, 2014, at the Wisconsin Center in downtown Milwaukee.
