by Richard Velotta, Las Vegas Review-Journal, February 11, 2022
Four food and beverage trade shows will meet at the same time next month at the Las Vegas Convention Center for the first-ever Las Vegas Food & Beverage Industry Week.
Trade-show organizers Emerald and Questex are joining forces to stage the event March 21-24.
“We are grateful for our partnership with Emerald and Questex and we are excited to welcome the first-ever Las Vegas Food and Beverage Week to the Las Vegas Convention Center,” said Brian Yost, chief operating officer for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, which owns and operates the Convention Center. “Las Vegas brings key industries together, fostering in-person connections that move business forward. We look forward to providing the organizers, exhibitors and attendees of these shows with an ‘Only Vegas’ experience.”
The four shows that will meet simultaneously are SIAL America, a first-of-its-kind cross-category generalist food and beverage show; the International Pizza Expo; the Bar & Restaurant Expo, formerly known as the Nightclub & Bar Show; and the World Tea Conference & Expo.
SIAL stands for Salon International de l’alimentation, French for “International Food Fair.”
“We’re excited to collaborate with Emerald and the LVCVA to bring key food and beverage buyers together in one central location to deliver a new, high-value experience that combines key education, product activations and customer interaction,” said Tim McLucas, vice president of the Bar & Restaurant Group for Questex.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and Questex for the inaugural edition of Food and Beverage Industry Week,” added Jessica Blue, executive vice president of Emerald. “It will be an exciting and invaluable week for everyone in the food and beverage industry.”
he International Pizza Expo, now in its 38th year, is one of the longest running annual food events at the Convention Center. Sponsored by Emerald, the Pizza Expo brings pizzeria professionals from across the globe for a show that features suppliers, educational sessions, top industry professionals and national competitions.
Celebrating traditions and the future of tea, the World Tea Conference & Expo’s 20th anniversary celebration will provide access to leading suppliers and educational sessions.
Emerald and Comexposium are collaborating for the first-ever SIAL America show. Importers, food service companies, distributors, retailers, wholesalers and restaurateurs are expected to attend the event that has been endorsed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, due to SIAL’s reputation as an event host for the industry.
The Bar & Restaurant Expo will enable attendees to learn the latest trends and troubleshoot challenges facing their businesses. From single-unit to national chain operators and the industry’s largest hospitality groups, the show is expected to deliver the latest in experience and innovation.
The LVCVA has collaborated with other organizations to bring industries together for a themed week. For example, Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week brought the car industry to Las Vegas in early November when the Specialty Equipment Market Association and the Automotive Aftermarket Product Exposition are staged in the city simultaneously.
Contact Richard N. Velotta at [email protected] or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.