SFMDA Annual Conference and Trade Show Preview

For three days in January, members of the Specialty Foods Distributors and Manufacturers Association (SFDMA) will meet in Palm Springs, Calif., for their Annual Conference & Table-Top Exhibit Trade Show. To be held at the Palm Springs Convention Center January 7-9, 2001, the show will give members an opportunity to make new acquaintances and strengthen existing ties as a new show season gets under way. The Kosher Food Distributors Association (KFDA) and the Biscuit and Crackers Distributors Association (BCDA) will also hold their annual meetings concurrently with the SFDMA show.

This is the only buying and selling conference and trade show of the year that the SFDMA hosts, making it the only place where distributors and manufacturers of specialty foods have the opportunity for one-on-one meetings.

"The show provides an ideal forum for specialty food manufacturers to meet with both regional and national distributors not only on the trade show floor but in distributor/supplier scheduled sessions, providing an unprecedented networking forum which can generate new business for them," explained Steve Biernacki, marketing coordinator for the SFDMA.

One of the primary benefits of participating in the show is the distributor-and-supplier interview sessions. These 10-minute appointments help open the door between suppliers and distributors, establishing a foundation for further business. During the sessions, suppliers introduce themselves as well as the lines they represent to the distributors.

"The annual conference and trade show provides exclusivity for our members," said Biernacki. "It is where manufacturers and distributors meet at a show in a closed environment for one-on-one meetings. Setting appointment times allows distributors and suppliers a forum where they are ensured a face-to-face meeting without the added distractions which may occur on a show floor."

In addition to seeing a preview of the year's exciting new product introductions, attendees participate in several different programs geared toward examining the relevant issues of the industry.

Educational sessions will be offered to help members improve their business practices. The Sunday educational session, "2001 Update - Category Management of Specialty Foods," will be presented by Professor Eric Sorenson of the Center for Retail Management at Northwestern University. In this session, Professor Sorenson will expand on his August 2000 presentation to the association by highlighting how specialty foods will continue to increase in importance to retailers. During his August presentation, Sorenson discussed three key drivers for the future: consumer demand, technology and data, and retailers' profit/growth needs in the 21st-century economy. This January seminar will provide updated data, further strengthening the need for category management of specialty foods.

Another educational session entitled "New Research on the Importance of Specialty Foods" will be presented by Willard Bishop Consulting on Monday morning. This is an ongoing project conducted by both the SFDMA and Willard Bishop that focuses on the usage of direct store delivery (DSD). "We try to put forth to our members information and statistics that illustrate how DSD is one of the best routes to get product to retail," explained Biernacki.

"One of the main concerns of our membership is the consolidation within the industry," added Biernacki. "For some time, it has been a hot topic among specialty food distributors, and we are now seeing the effects of that on the supplier side of our membership with larger manufacturers buying out the smaller ones. To address these concerns, the association is making stronger efforts to educate its members on these types of distributors. In light of consolidation, they must look at the specialty food distributor as the best way to get their products into the store."

Schedule of Events

Sunday, January 7, 2001

10:00 a.m. - Noon KFDA Officer Meeting

3:00 - 4:15 p.m. Educational Session: 2001 Update - Category Management of Specialty Foods

4:30 - 7:00 p.m. Distributor/Supplier Interview Sessions

7:30 - 9:30 p.m. BCDA Reception/Membership Meeting



Monday, January 8, 2001

7:30 - 8:20 a.m. Distributor Membership Annual Meeting/Continental Breakfast (closed)

8:30 - 10:30 a.m. Distributor/Supplier Interview Sessions

10:45 a.m. - Noon Educational Session: New Research on the Importance of Specialty Foods - Willard Bishop Consulting

Noon - 1:30 p.m. Luncheon/Keynote Speaker: Honoring Our Past

1:30 - 6:00 p.m. Exhibit Hall Open/Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

1:30 p.m. BCDA Contest Awards Presentation at Booths

6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Business Networking Reception/SFMDA Carnival/Prize Drawings/Gold Tournament Awards



Tuesday, January 9, 2001

7:00 - 8:30 a.m. KFDA Membership Meeting/Breakfast

7:00 - 10:00 a.m. Registration Open

7:30 - 8:30 a.m. All Attendee Continental Breakfast

8:30 a.m. - Noon Exhibit Hall Open

Noon Conference Ends