2011 AFFI Frozen Food Convention Scores Record Attendance

More than 1,300 members of the frozen food industry gathered at the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero Feb. 19-23. Overall, AFFI-CON attendance is up more than 30 percent over the last three years. Convention delegates gathered to conduct business meetings, participate in educational sessions and network at evening receptions and social events.

"The increasing attendance, sold-out meeting space and record sponsorship dollars demonstrate once again that the AFFI Frozen Food Convention is the premiere venue for bringing together members of the frozen food industry,"said AFFI President and CEO Kraig R. Naasz. "Despite a difficult economic environment, 2011 marks the third year in a row that AFFI-CON has achieved record attendance."

Jim Donald, former CEO of Haggen Food and Pharmacy and the Starbucks Corporation, delivered the keynote address to an audience of more than 350 at the AFFI Annual Meeting and Keynote Breakfast on Monday. Donald challenged AFFI-CON delegates to expand their strategic thinking and "go where they’ve never been"when thinking about how best to succeed and grow.

The AFFI-led educational sessions offered attendees the opportunity to glean important insights on a broad range of key economic, nutrition and communications topics from a roster of distinguished speakers.

At a meeting of AFFI’s International Trade Committee, Janet Nuzum, associate administrator and general sales manager of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service, addressed pending international trade agreements and market access opportunities for frozen food companies.

Leslie Sarasin, president and CEO of the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), and Sean McBride, vice president of communications and marketing for the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), discussed FMI and GMA’s combined efforts to make available a new, voluntary front-of-pack nutrition labeling system to food producers at AFFI’s Nutrition Forum.

Digital communications professionals Michael Brito of Edelman and David Stevens of Streamlinevents, Inc., discussed ways in which effective use of social media platforms can boost companies’ marketing efforts in a session hosted by the AFFI Communications Committee, and Charles Bostick and Ross Grier of Vantix Logistics, Inc., presented new information to AFFI Logistics Committee attendees about recent evolutions in third party logistics.

Attendees also supported the Frozen Food Foundation’s public education and scientific research efforts by participating in the 5K Fun Run/Walk presented by Green Giant on Feb. 20 and the Foundation Golf Classic at Harding Park on Feb. 22.

The 2012 AFFI Frozen Food Convention will be held Feb. 18-22, 2012, at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego.

Source: AFFI News