(September 21, 2009 – Washington, D.C.) Top executives in operations, purchasing, procurement, marketing, and research and development from several dairy manufacturing companies have announced plans to hold company meetings and conferences during the Worldwide Food Expo at McCormick Place in Chicago, October 28-31, 2009. These meetings will allow the executives to conduct company business while taking advantage of the one-stop shopping opportunities that Expo provides.

Blue Bell Creameries will hold a meeting with more than 20 of its executives during Worldwide Food Expo. "I'm taking my plant operations and research teams to Expo," said Paul Kruse, CEO and president of Blue Bell and chairman of the International Dairy Foods Association. "They can find the cutting-edge innovations that will help us to cut costs and deliver more value to our customers."

"Worldwide Food Expo lets us meet with all of our suppliers in one location," said Ed Mullins, executive vice president and CEO of Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. The company has scheduled a meeting of 40 of its executive staff and operations managers during Expo. "This gives our team the chance to see new machinery and innovations in our ever-changing dairy industry."

Dean Foods will hold a two-day meeting of its Operating Council, a group of 35 leaders from its selling and distribution, supply chain and corporate teams. "We look forward to bringing our teams together during the Worldwide Food Expo in a forum that spotlights cutting-edge innovations," said Harrald Kroeker, president of Dean Foods Fresh Dairy Direct division.

The nonprofit association 3-A Sanitation Standards, Inc., which is committed to the application of sound sanitary principles in food equipment manufacturing, will hold a board of directors meeting and administer an accreditation examination during Expo.

Worldwide Food Expo features two co-located events: the IDFA Food, Dairy & Beverage Exposition and the American Meat Institute (AMI) International Meat, Poultry & Seafood Exposition. The Expo attracts approximately 900 exhibitors who display the newest technologies in equipment, packaging, ingredients and services for processors of dairy, meat, frozen food, beverages, snack foods, poultry and seafood.

More than 20,000 food and beverage professionals from the U.S. and over 100 foreign countries attend Worldwide Food Expo to find solutions spanning the entire manufacturing process – from receiving and blending to processing and packaging to materials handling and distribution. Attendees will have the opportunity to view approximately 500,000 square feet of exhibits offering everything that food and beverage companies need to run more efficiently, create new products and improve profitability.

For more information, including registration fees, visit www.worldwidefood.com.

# # #

AMI represents the interests of packers and processors of beef, pork, lamb, veal and turkey products and their suppliers throughout North America. Together, AMI’s members produce 95 percent of the beef, pork, lamb and veal products and 70 percent of the turkey products in the United States. The Institute provides legislative, regulatory, public relations, technical, scientific and educational services to the meat and poultry packing and processing industry. www.meatami.com

International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, D.C., represents the nation's dairy manufacturing and marketing industries and their suppliers, with a membership of 550 companies representing a $110-billion a year industry. IDFA is composed of three constituent organizations: the Milk Industry Foundation (MIF), the National Cheese Institute (NCI) and the International Ice Cream Association (IICA). IDFA's 220 dairy processing members run more than 600 plant operations, and range from large multi-national organizations to single-plant companies. Together they represent more than 85 percent of the milk, cultured products, cheese and frozen desserts produced and marketed in the United States. IDFA can be found online at www.idfa.org.