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April
2007
SHOW REPORT:
NRA 2007: Where It's At
By: Janice Cha
Bring your comfiest shoes: It could take you two walking days
alone to see everything on the show floor when the 88th
National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show
convenes at Chicago’s McCormick Place May 19-22.
And that’s not taking into account all the stops for
networking or checking out the many equipment demos,
competitions and educational sessions. This year’s NRA Show
will bring together more than 2,000 exhibiting companies,
including leading companies highlighted in the Kitchen
Innovations area. Show organizers expect to draw more than
73,000 visitors, including attendees and exhibitors.
New This
Year…
You’ll find a few notable new attractions at the show this
year. First up: the NRA’s bookstore and celebrity
book-signing program—a “major new feature,” according to
show planners. Some of the big-name authors brought in will
also be making presentations as part of the educational
sessions, keynote speaking slots or demos. Look for more
details at the NRA Show Web site,
www.restaurant.org/show.
The keynote address format has also been tweaked. This year
you’ll hear several speakers instead of a single
presenter—details were being finalized at press time and
should be available online soon.
On the show floor, you’ll see more booths featuring alcoholic
beverages, and the organic pavilion will also be
significantly larger than last year’s—a reflection of
industry trends, planners say.
Associations
Line Up Agendas
What would an NRA Show be without the pre-show meetings
sponsored by the industry’s associations? Three key meetings
will take place May 16-18, sponsored by CFESA, HSM and MAECO.
Members of the Commercial Foodservice Equipment Service
Association lead the pack, alphabetically. Their Spring
Conference will take place at the InterContinental Chicago.
The agenda will include a NAFEM/Liaison meeting, committee
meetings, a guest speaker, a longer session by NAFEM on the
Size & Shape of the Industry, and a variety of workshops.
CFESA members will also induct officers and directors for
2007-08 terms.
And later, while you’re trekking the show floor, be sure to
make a stop at the lounge area hosted by CFESA and the
Manufacturers’ Agents Association for the Foodservice
Industry, at Booth 7633.
Next up: the Spring Conference sponsored by Hospitality
Supply Management, an ISM forum. This meeting will take
place 30 miles outside Chicago at the Lincolnshire Marriott
Resort in Lincolnshire, Ill. Sessions will include “Trends
to Watch,” presented by Warren Solochek, NPD Foodservice
Group; “Using Social Responsibility as a Corporate
Advantage,” featuring speakers from Chipotle Mexican Grill
and Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium; “Improving Your ROI With
Lifecycle Cost Analysis,” by David Zabrowski, Food Service
Technology Center; and a discussion on “Energy and its
Impact on Supply Chain Management.”
Meanwhile, back in the city, members of the Multi-Unit
Architects, Engineers & Construction Officers, an NRA Study
Group, will also be convening at the InterContinental
Chicago. Can’t-miss topics will include an update on “Water
Heater Technology and Research,” presented by Don Fisher,
Food Service Technology Center; a look at how to
successfully re-brand a multiunit concept, led by Fred
Barden, Applebee’s Int’l.; the latest information on
managing fats, oils and grease, by John Shaffer of
Environmental Engineering & Contracting; and a report on
what’s new at ASHRAE, presented by Tony Spata, Chipman Adams
Architects.
Consultants
To Dole Out Advice
Once the show launches on May 19, consider stopping by the
“Ask the Design Experts” booth sponsored by the Foodservice
Consultants Society Int’l. FCSI members will once again be
offering 30-minute complimentary consultations addressing
your back- and front-of-house design questions.
E-mail
jabels@dineout.org
now to schedule an appointment—spaces fill up quickly.
Finally, if you’re tracking developments in food safety, note
that NSF Int’l. will honor recipients of its 2007 Food
Safety Leadership Awards on May 19.
The annual program recognizes individuals and organizations
that have demonstrated leadership in this area. Check with
folks at the NSF booth, 3438, for more details.
NRA Stats
Dates: Sat., May 19 through Tues., May 22
Show Floor: 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Meeting Floor: 9:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Online Registration:
www.restaurant.org/show
Pre-Show
Association Meetings
CFESA Spring Conference
May 16-18
InterContinental Chicago
www.cfesa.com
HSM Spring Conference
May 16-18
Lincolnshire
Marriott Resort
Lincolnshire, Ill
www.ism.ws/education
MAECO Spring Conference
May 16-18
InterContinental Chicago
www.restaurant.org/studygroups
KI Pavilion
To Welcome 2007 Honorees
Now in its third year, the National Restaurant Association’s
Kitchen Innovations program will once again set aside a
corner of the show floor to highlight advances in
foodservice equipment.
This year 19 products were identified by an independent panel
of operators and consultants to be among the most innovative
on the market today. These products will be available for
interactive demonstrations and showings in the dedicated KI
area throughout the four days of the NRA Show at McCormick
Place.
·
Action Comax
Environmental, BioX food waste decomposition unit
·
Alto-Shaam,
Combitherm Smoker
·
Alto-Shaam,
ASF-75G high-efficiency Gas Fryer
·
Beverage-Air/Carrier, ChillStar blast chiller with
Intelligent Food Recognition
·
Blodgett
Corp./Middleby, XCEL.5E Hydrovection convection oven
·
Campus
Products, Silvershine Cutlery Drying Machine
·
Cleveland
Range/Enodis, Convotherm 606 Mini-Combi Oven Steamer
·
Delfield
Co./Enodis, Versa Drawer for refrigerating, freezing,
chilling and thawing
·
Electrolux
Professional, Tilting Pressure Braising Pan
·
Hobart
Corp., 3000 Series Slicer with “select-a-stroke”
·
Lincoln
Foodservice Products/Enodis, FastBake impingement conveyor
oven
·
Master-Bilt
Products/Standex, Master Controller with Reverse Cycle
Defrost
·
Meiko, Waste
Air Heat Recovery System for warewashers
·
Pitco
Frialator/Middleby, Solstice Rethermalizer
·
Pitco
Frialator/Middleby, Solstice Supreme Gas Fryer
·
San Jamar,
Kleen-Brush hand-cleaning system
·
Scotsman Ice
Systems/Enodis, Prodigy Cube Ice Machine
·
Randell/Unified
Brands, FX Series refrigeration/freezer drawer system
·
Vulcan-Hart
Co., Floor Gas Steamer
Fast-Growing
Chains Get Their Own Meeting
A new entrant in the pre-show meeting field is the MUFES for
Fast-Growing Chains event, sponsored by Foodservice
Equipment Reports. Building on the successful
Multiunit Foodservice Equipment Symposium meeting platform,
FER has designed this MUFES event to help the
managers and equipment/spec buyers at fast-growing multiunit
companies wade through the complexities of rapid
development.
When MUFES-FGC attendees gather at The Palmer House Hilton
May 16-18, the agenda will include sessions on:
·
The
Well-Equipped E&S Staff for The Fast-Growing Chain;
·
How To Get
The Most Production & Value From Your E&S Package;
·
How The E&S
Channel Really Works;
·
How To Get
E&S Functions To Work With Ops and Menu Development; and
·
Prototyping:
How To Work With Architects & Consultants.
In addition, the evening of May 18 the <BI>FER<BI> staff will
present its 2007 Customer Choice Dealer Awards and Industry
Service Awards. |
