The new Foodservice Pavilion on the Expo show floor was a huge success as distributors and suppliers met, tasted food products, and discussed ways of doing business together to support growing foodservice operations for convenience retailers.

“This is one of the biggest improvements I’ve seen at the show this year,” said John Guarnieri, Albert Guarnieri & Co., Warren, OH, co-chair of the AWMA/DEF Education and Research Committee. “It took a while to get here, but I’m glad it’s finally happened.”

“The foodservice industry is a driving force in convenience stores today; it’s the engine that is going to drive their success, and I am excited that AWMA realizes this,” said Grant Wilson, vice president, convenience sales at Advance Pierre Foods, Edmond, OK. “This pavilion sets the foundation for many years to come, and a lot of distributors have thanked us for being here.”

“This is a good event,” commented Jerry Caves, national sales manager at Beverage Systems, LLC. “We will be back next year. We think this has real potential, and that they are on the right track.”

“This has been a good experience,” added Mark Vogelgesang, director, c-store sales, F.A.B., Inc., which markets the Up for Grabs line of pizza, fried chicken, and coffee for the convenience channel. “This is a good spot for us. We’re a member-owned buying group, and traditionally our members have been broadline foodservice distributors. But now we are including convenience distributors as well, and this is a great place to meet them.”

Cheryl Hickman, Great American Deli, said her company appreciated the opportunity to participate in the Pavilion. “We have been able to talk to distributors one-on-one and this has been very positive. To be here and see people face-to-face has been a big plus for us,” she said.

“Foodservice is such a growing component for distributors,” noted Jerry Ryker, executive vice president of business development, Land Mark Products. “It is part of where the industry is wanting to grow, and this offers an opportunity to focus on this significant category.”

Ryker said the distributor is the “key component” between the foodservice supplier and the consumer, and the AWMA Show provides a way for suppliers to meet directly with decision makers. “Distributors are our partners,” he emphasized. “We are listening to their business issues so we can respond.”

For Bill Skeens at Prairie City Bakery, the 2011 Show is vastly improved over the last one he attended five years ago, and he said the Foodservice Pavilion is a great idea. He has been able to meet existing customers and introduce them to new products, and to engage with new potential customers as well. “Sometimes the people here are above the people we normally call on,” he observed. “And that’s a good thing.”

John Slawney, Gehl Foods, Inc., was ecstatic with the reception that he experienced, particularly for his company’s Main St. Café Protein Smoothies. “We have over 40 distributors who take our product through Dot Foods, but many have never met us face-to-face.” His company was pleased to provide its Smoothies for Thursday’s breakfast and lunch. “We jumped all over that,” he said.

Robert Caradonna, director of business development at Brakebush Brothers, Inc., which was promoting its Squaker chicken concept for convenience to both existing customers who came by and new potential customers, was also pleased with his company’s participation in the Pavilion. Joining Caradonna in the company’s booth was one of its four corporate chefs, who prepared products for visitors to sample.

“I am very appreciative of all the foodservice companies that have participated,” said Jon Burklund, of Burklund Distributors, Inc., East Peoria, IL. “This has been a tremendous show, and the Foodservice Pavilion has been very positively received.”