SEPTEMBER
8-10
SUNSHINE STATERS
The Orange County Convention Center in Orlando hosts the 2011 Florida Restaurant and Lodging Show. Registration also entitles the badgeholder to attend the PMQ Orlando Pizza Show, colocated with the Florida Restaurant Show this year.
888-372-3976
www.flrestaurantandlodgingshow.com
9-10
TOTALLY TEA
U.S. tea sales, $7 billion in 2010, are forecast to reach $15 billion by 2012. If you want to get in on this rapid growth, head to Philadelphia for the inaugural World Tea East event. Site is the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
702-253-1893
www.worldteaeast.com
11-14
OFF THE SHELF
Yes, the restaurant world is big on local and sustainable foods. But you still might want to check out the latest new product and trend information available at the Prepared Foods New Products Conference 2011. The Ritz-Carlton in Naples, FL hosts.
847-405-4022
newproductsconference.com
21-24
THE NATURAL WAY
Explore alternative channels and potential new product categories for your restaurant by attending Natural Products Expo East. The 2011 edition of this popular show will take place at the Baltimore Convention Center.
866-458-4935
www.expoeast.com
23-25
JUMBO JAVA SHOW
Show off your skills in the latte art competition or just cruise the aisles to learn more about specialty coffee trends at CoffeeFest 2011. Site is the Washington State Convention Center in coffee-centric Seattle.
425-295-3300
www.coffeefest.com
OCTOBER
1-4
GRABBING AND GOING
Learn the latest about how C-stores plan to move into new parts of the foodservice market — and perhaps figure out a way to preempt that move — at the National Association of Convenience Stores' 2011 convention and expo. The site is McCormick Place in Chicago.
877-684-3600
www.nacsonline.com
8-9
ALL ACCESS
Upscale food and lifestyle event The Gourmet Experience will offer a trade-only segment for chefs and operators this year. Site is O'Brien Hall at the Del Mar Fairgrounds near San Diego.
619-312-1212
www.thegourmetexpo.com
12-13
HEY, WHAT'S YOUR SIGN?
The University of Cincinnati plays host to the third annual edition of the National Sign- age Research and Education Conference. Not a trade show or expo, it's a venue in which you can explore your on-premise signage issues and concerns with experts. The Kingsgate Marriott, located adjacent to the UC campus, serves as the host hotel.
336-260-3197
www.thesignagefoundation.org
Kiosk Extra
It's a question so fundamental for restaurant operators — ”Where do we grow from here?” — that RH sister publication NATION'S RESTAURANT NEWS has made it the theme of this year's MUFSO (Multi Unit Fooodservice Operators) Conference. The 52nd edition of this event will take place Sept. 25-27 at the Gaylord Texan Resort, Grapevine, TX. Some of the answers to this question will come from a trio of forward-thinking keynote speakers: Bill Taylor, cofounder of Fast Company magazine; New York Times social media guru David Pogue; and former Apple evangelist and all-around tech wizard Guy Kawasaki. Others will emerge during workshops and panel discussions that will focus on key strategies and tactics that can boost any restaurant's bottom line (www.nrn.com/event/mufso). MUFSO segues into NRN's Menu Trends & Direction Conference, which takes place on Sept. 27-28. It's a menu-focused, research-driven event that will address what's new and what's next for every foodservice industry segment (www.nrn.com/event/menutrends). For more information, call 813-627-6992 or email [email protected].
