The Cheese Importers Association of America Qualified Importer Program (CIAA QIP) announced today that it will sponsor an all-expenses paid educational trip for 15 food retailers to the Salon International de l'Agroalimentaire (SIAL), the largest food exhibition in the world, taking place in Paris France, October 20-24, 2018. Since 2012, this educational trip for retailers has been a part of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) funded QIP Retailers program.
The 15 retailers will be selected at random through a lottery drawing. Food retailers and retailers of imported cheese selling wholesale specialty cheese are invited to apply. To qualify, retailers need to purchase at least 250,000 pounds of wholesale cheese per year or have 5 or more retail stores. To learn more about the trip and to apply, individuals are encouraged to visit the CIAA website. The application deadline is July 30, 2018 and the lottery drawing will be held in August, 2018.
The SIAL Show is held every two years in Paris and features several exhibition halls of cheese and gourmet foods. As part of this exclusive CIAA QIP-sponsored SIAL trip, these U.S. retailers will attend the SIAL show as guests of the CIAA, and participate in all educational events and dinners with CIAA members. These retailers will have VIP access to the SIAL Show, where they will have numerous opportunities to network with international food manufacturers and professionals. Additionally, the CIAA’s retailer guests will have the chance to tour French retail outlets including some of the largest fresh produce distributors in the world, hypermarkets and upscale cheese shops and gourmet retailers.
Ken Olsson, CIAA President, said: “We are thrilled to continue this educational program for US retailers. This is a truly unparalleled opportunity for our food retailers to learn about the latest trends and innovations from other retailers, manufacturers, and producers around the world.”
In addition to the SIAL Tradeshow, this trip includes an exclusive-for-retailers two-night trip to Milan and Cremona, Italy. The SIAL 2018 Retailer Trip is all-expenses paid by QIP, including airfare, accommodations, all meals, and transportation for winners.
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The Cheese Importers Association, Inc. is a non-profit trade association formed more than sixty years ago whose membership comprises the vast majority of the firms engaged in the business of importing, selling, promoting, and distributing cheese and cheese products in the U.S. The CIAA endeavors to support dairy trade, within the context of compliance with international trade agreements, and all applicable US regulations.
Funding for the Retailer trip is generated from the Qualified Importer Program that is derived from the assessment importers pay on dairy products imported into the U.S. No corporate funds are involved.
Source: The Cheese Importers Association, Inc.
