The National Restaurant Association (NRA), founded in 1912, hosts one of the oldest and most popular trade shows for businesses in the foodservice industry. And it goes without saying, you don’t survive that long without adapting to changing appetites.
Expect this year’s upcoming show to be a case in point.
Here’s what you can expect at NRA 2023.
Expect your concerns to be addressed
Disrupted supply chains. Third-party delivery. Food safety and hygiene. Online ordering. All the education courses offered at this year’s show should touch on any concerns you may have about the direction of the industry.
The organizers of the NRA are not interested in reuniting for sentimental reasons but in bringing real value to restaurant owners and managers. This show is promising to be energizing and inspiring, offering answers to complex problems and insight into industry trends, such as culinary cannabis and ghost kitchens.
Expect your solutions to be heard
If the NRA and its attendees seek to reconnect and discuss the best ways to optimize efficiency and successfully take advantage of new opportunities, expect your solutions to be heard. Tracking any areas of success and highlighting them at the show will be vital to making your voice heard.
If you’ve retained a large amount of workers, even hiring new workers, then that should be highlighted. If you created an efficient catering/delivery system during the pandemic, showcase that. Strengthen your platform with good news.
Expect health to be emphasized
By health, I don’t mean show requirements such as mask-wearing and vaccination status–though you can be sure safety protocols will be emphasized–I mean in terms of industry trends. Sustainability, mental health, and inclusivity in the workplace and plant-based foods are points of interest for many restaurant owners.
Eating out is of vital importance for social beings. The comedian Jim Gaffigan once joked, “we eat because we want to have a good time. That’s all a vacation is–us just eating at a different location.” And improving the quality of food and the time consumers spend with one another in your restaurant has sky-rocketed in importance over the last couple years.
So, what are YOU cooking for NRA?
Referring back to expecting your solutions to be heard. For those who’ve had success the last two years, now may be the time to market themselves as industry leaders. Or, at the very least, now is the time to set themselves up as a serious contender in the eyes of their competitors.
But this is no simple manner. Consider these questions as you think of your marketing strategy:
- How do you position yourself as a leader in new trends?
- How do you take full advantage of being a trusted institution that outlasts any trends?
- How do you maximize your presence specifically at trade shows to position your business in such a manner?
We may not be able to answer all those questions, but we certainly know how to maximize your presence at trade shows. Be sure to watch our Farmhouse Fresh case study and see our design for Bridor, which won a Silver World Exhibition Stand Award in 2020 for its 2019 NRA Show booth.
The Trade Group is a full-service trade show and event marketing company. We will work with you to create an exhibit or an event that brings in leads and helps you achieve your business goals. Contact us here or give us a call at (800) 343-2005.
Hillary Hancock is a Senior Account Executive for the Trade Group in Dallas, TX . With over 6 years of experience in trade show design, logistics, and event based marketing, she prides herself on top-notch customer services and making sure her clients have unparalleled experience at their shows. Hillary has also been working within the food and beverage industry for over 5 years.