FAQ

This year’s program, “Deconstructing the Menu Playbook,”explores the highly-complex challenge of profitably integrating produce-centric items into menus & meal offerings.

Essential to a successful menu rollout is bringing the KEY PLAYERS to the table from the outset. When ideating and identifying menu items for research and development, it is imperative to include culinarians, marketers, and other stakeholders: growers, distributors, and commodity board representatives who all bring invaluable insight into the discussion.

This year’s forum is intended to stimulate thought and open dialogue among the foodservice industry’s leaders from all points of the supply chain.

Friday, December 13th from 7:00 am – 4:45 pm at the New York Hilton.

Anyone who buys, sells or markets fresh produce to the foodservice industry. Restaurant chefs, produce purchasers for foodservice operations, and the main decision-makers for produce distributors, such as Sysco, Markon, J Kings, Pro*Act, Baldor, and some of their restaurant chefs and chain operators. We also anticipate many shippers and grower associations as we have the top foodservice distributors and some heavy-hitting operators on the panels. There will also be a large group of culinary students, who will be future prospects for the produce and foodservice industries.

First and foremost, Ideation Fresh is designed to bring attendees the absolute latest trends in foodservice and its ever-evolving link to produce. Experts in the produce and marketing fields will bring their expertise to a variety of discussions through panels, keynotes and breakout sessions, which all provides valuable ‘news to use’ for participants.

All of the sessions involve audience participation and there are ample opportunities to further discuss areas of interest with panel members, keynoters and fellow attendees.  Many audience members, who have contributed valuable comment during the forum, have been asked to return as panelists the following year.

You will hear first-hand accounts from chefs and menu influencers about the process of menu making and how it affects their produce buying. Listen to their challenges and learn how these have been overcome. Find out about best practices in the partnerships between restaurants and suppliers. Get a fresh perspective about both and use that information in your own operations.

The majority of restaurants discussed will be North American establishments, but there is plenty of useful information that would be of great help internationally. Also many of the panelists work globally so their frames of reference will include a global perspective.

Trends are a very important point of discussion, and ultimately what the Foodservice Forum hopes to illuminate for attendees. The day’s festivities kick off with a trends presentation and many of the panels discuss produce trends as well.

Many of the past years’ agendas were more “theoretical” than the current year (1^st year was about the My Plate Initiative and the 2^nd year was about TASTE and FLAVOR) See the website Past Programs for the previous year agendas.

This year, we are discussing the “nuts and bolts” of menu marketing.

Please see the list below of available sponsorships:

• Foodservice Forum Breakfast Sponsor each (5 available)
• Foodservice Forum Luncheon (4 available)
• Foodservice Forum General Session Sponsor (3 available)
• Foodservice Forum Ideation Breakout Sponsor (2 available)

*Each sponsor receives:

• Recognition in Main Show Program Guide/Directory
• Logo placed on signage throughout the trade show and during the Forum
• Logo placed on Forum handouts and on the slides behind speakers
• Literature and samples can be giving to attendees
• 2-minute introduction of sponsor during breaks and luncheon
• One produce item per sponsor to be given to chefs giving demos