Contact: Peggy Armstrong
(202) 220-3508
parmstrong@idfa.org
(Washington, D.C. - September 17, 2010) The inaugural International Dairy Show kicked off in Dallas this week, giving dairy professionals an unparalleled opportunity to focus specifically on dairy industry trends and keep up with a rapidly changing marketplace. The show, which ran Monday through Wednesday, featured nearly 300 exhibitors offering the latest packaging, processing and technology solutions in the global dairy market.
With more than 3,500 total attendees and 1,200-plus qualified buyers, the International Dairy Show drew strong participation from the key audiences that IDFA and the exhibitors were seeking to attract: food and beverage processors, food distributors and retail manufacturers.
"Attracting the right buyers was a top priority for us, and we're pleased with the attendance figures for our inaugural show, especially given today's economic climate," said Connie Tipton, IDFA president and CEO.
In addition to discussing technology innovations with exhibitors on the show floor, attendees packed the Signature Sessions and many of the educational sessions. They also sampled innovative food and beverage products, including guacamole ice cream and mint chocolate chip milk, and found many opportunities for networking and social events.
One of the most popular and well-attended events at the show was the opening Signature Session on Monday featuring former President George W. Bush. Speaking longer than his one-hour time slot, President Bush shared his quick sense of humor along with the highs and lows of his presidency, giving attendees a glimpse into the pages of his upcoming book, "Decision Points."
High-resolution photos from the International Dairy Show are available for download at http://www.oscareinzig.com/idspressroom2010/. Presentations from selected educational sessions will be posted at www.dairyshow.com by September 24.
IDFA would like to thank the show sponsors for their support. They are Celsis Rapid Detection; CEM Corporation; Chr. Hansen, Inc.; Ecolab, Inc.; Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy; Milk Processor Education Program; Mobil Industrial Lubricants; Randolph Associates, Inc.; Symrise Inc.; and the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau.
2011 Show Heads to Atlanta
Sales for the 2011 International Dairy Show also opened this week, and the response from exhibitors was immediate.
"We've heard from many exhibitors who were impressed with the level and quality of buyers at the show in Dallas. We've already received contracts for 43,000 square feet of booth space for the 2011 show in Atlanta, and we're certain that momentum will continue," Tipton said.
The show will be held September 19-21 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. For details, visit www.dairyshow.com, or contact Robin Cornelison, IDFA trade show manager, at rcornelsion@idfa.org or 202-220-3542.
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The 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 $90-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% 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.