Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1061591
association news Message from President Phil Kafarakis It will come as no surprise that winter, for those of us at the Specialty Food Association, means the Winter Fancy Food Show! It's our second-largest event annually, the largest specialty food show on the West Coast, and the place where we can all get a first-hand taste of the food trends that will impact the whole year. If you were at any of our recent Winter Shows, you know that our "home," San Francisco's Moscone Center, has been undergoing extensive renovations. Well, they're done! In fact, the 2019 Winter Fancy Food Show will be the first show held at the fully renovated Moscone. That just adds to the excitement! At the SFA, we've been undergoing some internal renovations of our own as we change to better serve the industry. We're aimed at meeting the goals of our five-year strategic plan, Forward2022. To do that, we've added new talent to our roster, are upgrading our technology, and have renegotiated our show contracts to save exhibitors money. We've also entered into partnerships with several national and international organizations to supplement our skills and knowledge. We want to hear more from you as we continue to renovate the SFA. It's important that you make time to come to one of our "Speak Ups" at the Winter Show. These meetings will be open to SFA members and are facilitated to gather your ideas and feedback. We will use what we learn from you as reference points as we make further improvements to our events, education programs, recognition processes, and public policy positions. Additional information about the Speak Ups will be provided in Specialty Food News and in the printed Show Dailies, available on-site at the Winter Fancy Food Show. At the Specialty Food Association, we're looking forward to working with you to empower your business in 2019. Thanks for being with us! Phil Kafarakis President, Specialty Food Association Follow me @PresidentSFA Message from the President WINTER 2019 21