B.C. foodservice show attendance jumps 22%

Jan. 30, 2009, VANCOUVER – The restaurant industry responded positively to the 2009 British Columbia
Foodservice Expo with an attendance increase of 22 per cent over the previous
year.

The Jan. 25-26 event at Vancouver’s BC Place attracted 5,769 visitors compared to 4,714 in 2008.

“I was very pleased with the quality of the audience and to see buyers from all corners of the province,” said John Brugman of Brugman Commercial Kitchens Ltd.

Steve Barber, vice president of expositions with the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA), said, "The strong attendance at the B.C. show is a clear indication that operators are looking for solutions in the face of difficult economic conditions."

CRFA and show exhibitors implemented a number of new attendance marketing activities that helped produce a larger audience. These marketing initiatives will be applied to the 2009 CRFA Show and ApEx to boost attendance at these events.

The association's next trade event is the CRFA Show, March 8-10 at the Direct Energy Centre of Exhibition Place, Toronto. Canada’s biggest trade show for the hospitality industry, the CRFA Show is the marriage of HostEx and the Canadian Food & Beverage Show.

For more information about the 2009 CRFA Show features, seminars, chef demonstrations and new pavilions, visit www.crfashow.ca.