Madison, WI —Dairy-Deli-Bake Seminar & Expo was held June 5-7 at the George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston, TX.
Dairy-Deli-Bake hosted 9,294 registered attendees, which included top-tier retail buyers, merchandisers, executives, food manufacturers, brokers, distributors, and additional leading industry professionals. The sold-out expo consisted of a record-breaking 1,926 booths, representing 739 companies. Exhibitors and retailers cultivated relationships, new business, and fresh ideas and concepts throughout the active expo floor.
This year’s seminars offered key insights into our business, the economy, the consumer, and current trends. The notable speaker line-up included Jerry Seinfeld, Lori Greiner, Lidia Bastianich, Sherry Frey, Shawn Stevens, Norman Mayne, Phil Lempert, Max McCalman, Harold Lloyd, Anthony Bourdain, Simon Sinek, Loretta Carey, Joshua Swanson, Randi Zuckerberg, Lindsey Vonn, IDDBA Chairman of the Board, John Cheesman, and IDDBA President and CEO Mike Eardley. In IDDBA ED Talks, Mary Kay O’Connor and Kristi Grim presented Safe Food Matters! Focus on Allergens, while Scott Fox and Eric Richard presented New Pathways to Win with ISB Bread.
IDDBA Chairman of the Board, John Cheesman, presented the Chairman’s Award to Doug Wittich, who had a 43-year career in the bakery business, primarily working with George Weston companies. This award recognizes distinguished service or contribution to the industry and honors those who have led with vision and dedication.
In addition to the seminar presentations, attendees were given the opportunity to meet Lori Greiner, Lidia Bastianich, Simon Sinek, and Anthony Bourdain at their book signings, held right on the expo floor. Attendees also had the chance to get their photo taken with Lindsey Vonn after her presentation.
The New Product Showcase was a destination for attendees looking for unique and innovative trends all in one place. This redesigned area offered exhibitors the opportunity to display their new items personally. Buyers and merchandisers got an all-encompassing look at the newest and latest products, packaging, and services. QR codes were located at each display, so attendees could easily access company contact information and booth number to facilitate more networking.
The Show & Sell Center showcased best-in-class merchandising ideas and innovative retailing concepts, along with new products, workshops, and demonstrations. It was a hub of activity and a highlight of the show. Workshop speakers engaged attendees in live demonstrations and presentations that covered various industry-specific topics including cheese, cakes, bakery, deli, and meals. Leading up to the show, teams of dedicated volunteers donated months of their time and talent to create the amazing merchandising concepts displayed throughout the Show & Sell Center.
Inside the Show & Sell Center, three top decorators competed in a three-day Cake Decorating Challenge where they created a variety of themed cakes. Attendees were able to vote for their favorite decorator each day with the People’s Choice Awards. The winner of the IDDBA 21st annual Cake Decorating Challenge was Sara Vanderheyden, Hy-Vee Inc., Ames, IA. Second place went to Nayeli Cruz, Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions, Carlsbad, CA. Third place went to Paige Thornton, Green Valley Marketplace, Elkridge, MD.
Attendees can continue to use the myIDDBA App and myIDDBA.com for post-show networking, attendee and exhibitor lists, accessing speaker materials, and other Dairy-Deli-Bake resources.
About IDDBA: IDDBA is a nonprofit membership organization serving the dairy, deli, bakery, cheese, and supermarket foodservice industries. Member companies enjoy many benefits and services including the annual seminar and expo, leading-edge research, training programs, management tools, and an annual trends report. For more information, contact IDDBA at 608.310.5000 or visit iddba.org.
Source: International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association’s™ (IDDBA)
