To: Industry Suppliers affiliated with Midwest’s Top Foodservice Expo
From: Tracy Kosbau, VP of Marketing & Public Relations, WRA
Date: April 17, 2013
RE: News release on exhibit hall successes at recent Expo
We encourage you to share this news through your online, electronic and/or print communications vehicles and as appropriate on social media. For questions or to discuss opportunities to localize this news for your area media contacts, please contact Dawn Faris, VP of Exposition and Business Development at or 800-589-3211
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MIDWEST Foodservice expo WAS BUSTLING WITH ACTIVITY
(Milwaukee, WI) The largest and most inclusive state foodservice and hospitality show in the region, the Wisconsin Restaurant Expo, was bustling with activity for trade professionals this past year. The Wisconsin Restaurant Expo’s exhibit hall saw several successes over March 11-13, 2013 at the Delta Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Exciting results from the 2013 Wisconsin Restaurant Expo:
· 24 states and Canada were represented by supplier companies that exhibited at the Expo.
· The square footage of exhibit space sold at this year’s Expo was up 3% over the prior year.
· A record number of industry partnerships were formed in 2013 – 17 organizations and multi-unit foodservice businesses held meetings and/or became promotional partners for the statewide event. Members and managers of these groups from around Wisconsin took time to visit the exhibit hall.
· In its 5th year, the Tabletop Design Competition featured 11 stunning entries for eight-top tables – an all-time high for the Expo. Awards were presented to event professionals for Most Innovative, Best Use of a Theme, Most Viable and People’s Choice.
· Top bakery professionals battled it out in the Art of the Cake Competition, creating a sweet sight to behold on the floor. Top dessert artists walked away with awards in three areas: Extreme Wedding Cake Challenge, Creative Cake Decorating Competition and Cupcake Warrior Championship.
· The Charitable Auction brought a 19% increase over last year in money raised for the non-profit WRA Education Foundation. Donations to the 501(c)(3) organization support programs for students pursuing careers in foodservice.
· The 2013 Expo brought higher attendance than has been counted since 2001. The number of unique attendees to the event was up 14% over the prior year.
“This year’s Wisconsin Restaurant Expo had an exhibit hall filled with activity,” said Dawn Faris, VP of Exposition and Business Development. “The many successes were a solid reminder that the Expo is the largest event in the area to unite all of the foodservice and hospitality industry under one roof to do business.”
Next year’s Expo will have a new name and an expanded focus to continue developing exhibit hall successes in future years. The Midwest Foodservice Expo (formerly Wisconsin Restaurant Expo) is planned for March 10-12, 2014 at the Delta Center in downtown Milwaukee. More information on the event is available at www.everythingfoodservice.org.
The Wisconsin Restaurant Expo, now the Midwest Foodservice Expo, is produced by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association (WRA) and is a trade-only show. Since 1933, the WRA has been dedicated to the promotion, protection and improvement of the foodservice industry. WRA offices are located at 2801 Fish Hatchery Road in Madison, Wisconsin.