2010 IDDBA: The ‘show of shows’

MADISON, Wis. –The  IDDBA’s Dairy-Deli-Bake 2010 proved to be “The Show of Shows” with a record-breaking event.

MADISON, Wis. –The  IDDBA’s Dairy-Deli-Bake 2010 proved to be “The Show of Shows” with a record-breaking event.

The 46th annual seminar and expo, held June 6-8 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, drew top-ranked retail buyers, merchandisers, executives, food manufacturers, brokers, distributors, and other top industry professionals. The original exhibit floor sold out early and an additional row was added to accommodate the demand for exhibit space. The additional booth space sold out within days and IDDBA had to turn away companies who wanted to exhibit.

The seminars, led by innovative, creative speakers, set the tone for creating an aura of excitement and anticipation that was felt on the show floor, in the educational sessions, and at the evening events.

Dairy-Deli-Bake 2010 welcomed in excess of 8,000 registered attendees with representatives from more than 40 countries. The show floor was crowded and busy as exhibitors and retailers set a crisp pace that opened the door to new business, new marketing ideas and new relationships. The exhibitors displayed their best products with many new item introductions. The buyers were there in force and seemed ready and eager to buy.

The speaker line-up was top notch. Former U.S. President George W. Bush spoke to a standing-room-only crowd about his years in office, his management philosophy, his family and leadership. Rachael Ray energized the crowd with her bubbly personality as she shared details of her early days in the foodservice business and her current food shows and other activities. The entire educational program was well received and led to many informative discussions on and off stage.

The New Product Showcase was overflowing with exciting new creations and hundreds of new items. There were many more new products than there was room for in the display cases and show attendees eagerly sought out the exhibitors so they could find and buy the latest products to tempt consumers. New product booth signs and buttons alerted attendees to the exhibitors who featured items in the Showcase.

The Show & Sell Center was a highlight again this year. Retailers crowded the display area and took thousands of photos to capture the new ideas and innovative merchandising themes created by the retailers and volunteers on the committee. IDDBA promotes the Show & Sell Center as a way to teach, tell, show and “sell” the consumer. Whether it’s selling an idea or a product, the 10,000-square-foot model store is a magnet for retailers seeking new ways to reach customers. The merchandising teams were available each day to discuss the strategies used to design the various displays and to “teach” the concepts that were showcased.

John Sullivan, president of IDDBA and Norseland, Inc., presented the IDDBA President’s Award to Mike Eardley, director of deli, cheese and prepared foods at HEB Grocery Co. Eardley was honored for his leadership and service to his community, his company, the industry and the IDDBA. He has served on numerous committees, the IDDBA board of directors, and as president of the IDDBA in 2001. The awards banquet was held at the close of the show on Tuesday, June 8. / BJ