Magazines Archives - 2012 July

NRA Show 2012 – driving innovation in the foodservice and retail sectors
Story 10 - Special Reviews

Not only did the event witness a 6% growth from last year, but it also saw some 500 new exhibitors filling the ranks among the 1,900 exhibitors who participated this year.

IF, according to Harvard Business School professor Michael Porter, innovation is crucial to economic prosperity, then by all indications the latest edition of the National Restaurant Association's Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show (NRA Show 2012) proved the economic upswing is under way. Not only did the event witness a 6% growth from last year, as 61,000 registrants from across the US and over 100 countries took to the show floor, but it also saw some 500 new exhibitors filling the ranks among the 1,900 exhibitors who participated this year. To accommodate the growing number of participants, the show space this year grew to 540,000sqf, a 5% increase from the 2011 edition.

Held at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois, USA, from May 5-8, NRA Show 2012 also witnessed category growths, with show registrants from the restaurant/foodservice sector growing 8%, while the dealer/distributor category saw a modest 6% increase. Visitors from retail, on the other hand, delivered an impressive 21% jump.

The fifth annual International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event (IWSB 2012), held on May 7 and 8 in conjunction with the NRA Show 2012, also saw impressive growth — a double-digit surge of 40% in exhibiting companies from last year.

Derek Hull, NRA's marketing and communications manager, told Retail Asia: "The response was great … There was an increase in people interested in exhibiting and participating [in] the event. [And while] there are always concerns, such as the global economic troubles, innovation usually happens in these difficult times, allowing entrepreneurs to cut costs and thrive."

In line with this, the inaugural Operator Innovations Awards was organised at NRA Show 2012, to recognise restaurant operators for their innovation and leadership in the restaurant industry. Winners at the inaugural awards from five categories were Evelyn Hill Inc for Sustainability and Innovator of the Year; Stacked Restaurants LLC, for Technology; Waffle House, for Food Safety; Chartwells Higher Education Dining Service, for Health & Nutrition; and Sedexo School Services, for Menu Development.

Restaurant operators were not the only ones recognised for their contribution to bettering the foodservice industry. Another category highlighted at the show this year was the Food & Beverage Product Innovations Awards, which recognised F&B manufacturers for keeping their ear to the ground and delivering creative and delicious offerings to operators and consumers.

Among them was Heinz with a new 3-in-1 soup, dip and sauce product for restaurant operators. Winning awards in the category for two years in a row, associate brand manager for Frozen Soup at Heinz North America, Richard Donahue, offered that the new 3-in-1 soup, would help operators streamline their inventory without having to cut back on variety.

To view other stories, get a copy of Retail Asia. To subscribe, please download the subscription form from http://www.retailasiaonline.com/subscription.html