GLOBALIZATION DEMYSTIFIED AT 2008 U.S. FOOD EXPORT SHOWCASE
News Date February 18, 2008
Globalization will be thoroughly examined in numerous forums at the 2008 U.S. Food Export Showcase to help small and mid-size food manufacturers make sense of the brave new world--and exciting opportunities--unfolding before their eyes. The U.S. Food Export Showcase is part of the larger Global Food & Style Expo 2008 that takes place in McCormick Place, April 27 to 29, and caters to the massive demand for U.S. products around the world.
Kevin Coupe of the MorningNewsBeat.com will lend his unique brand of quick, concise, and slightly irreverent reporting to the Global Retailer Forum on April 28 focusing on up-to-the-minute industry trends from a global perspective. Coupe will take attendees on a multimedia world tour to examine leading retail trends and practices. In addition, Coupe will moderate a panel of industry experts who have a deep understanding of--and experience in--major markets in North America, Asia, and Europe. The panelists include Robert Neslund, former COO of Dairy Farm International, a pan-Asian retail group with over 2,200 outlets; Sharon Jeske, director of operational management programs at CIES--the Food Business Forum, the only independent global food business network; and Bobbi Goselin, senior vice-president, Daymon International, an international company specializing in the sales and marketing of private-label consumer products.
The Global Retail Forum general session promises to be insightful, lively, interactive, and a must-attend for decision-makers adapting to today's transnational business climate.
Attendees of the 2008 Global Food & Style Expo can choose from 35 concurrent workshop sessions focusing on different aspects of the international marketplace. In particular, workshops will provide a global perspective on such timely topics as health & wellness trends, food safety issues, and the growing emphasis on sustainability.
The U.S. Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is a full partner in the annual U.S. Food Export Showcase and FAS trade experts will be on hand to help exhibitors make the most of the opportunities the Showcase offers. In addition, renowned international business consultant, John Kauke of Global Market Linkage, will be available to provide individualized strategies to promote the buyer/seller relationship. A special International Trade Center located on the exhibit floor will provide even more services to help with language translation and trade questions.
"Adaptable entrepreneurs will be empowered by the information they receive at this year's Showcase," said Showcase Director DeWitt Ashby. "From multimedia presentations, panel discussions, workshops, and one-on-one consultations we cover globalization and what it means to countries, companies, and individuals."
The U.S. Food Export Showcase is sponsored by NASDA. This year's Showcase is co-located with two other organizations with growing global perspectives; the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT) Fancy Food Show and the Organic Trade Association (OTA) All Things Organic show. All three shows will be presented under the umbrella of the Global Food & Style Expo 2008. For information on attending or exhibiting at the 2008 U.S. Food Export Showcase April 27 to 29 in Chicago, please contact NASDA at nasda@nasda.org. (Contact: DeWitt Ashby or Megan McDonald)