NRA 2007

2007 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show Provides the Latest Beverage Products and Ideas

The 2007 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show will feature several engaging and informative educational sessions with leading industry experts highlighting the hottest beverage trends at McCormick Place in Chicago, May 19-22. In addition, exhibitors throughout the Show floor will offer examples of exciting new drinks and flavorings, beverage-making machines and technology, and other related products.

"In addition to an outstanding array of exhibits, new product introductions and trend-watching opportunities, the 2007 Show provides excellent educational opportunities for attendees on all aspects of the restaurant industry," said William C. Anton, FMP, convention chairman for the 2007 Show, and chairman and founder of Anton Airfood, Inc. "Recognizing that beverages are critical to operator success, special beverage-focused educational sessions will offer attendees multiple opportunities to take away a wealth of solutions and knowledge to drive their alcoholic and non-alcoholic sales."

No other industry event features more new product launches than the 2007 Show. Exhibitors will offer a wide variety of examples beverage trends, including high-tech coffee machines, nutraceutical drink innovations, teas, fine wines, beer, exotic beverage trends, distilled spirits, fruit infusions, coffee, and much more.

According to the National Restaurant Association's 2007 Restaurant Industry Forecast, beverage trends continue to play an important role in the restaurant industry, with trends being led by bottled water, coffee, energy drinks and wine. Restaurant operators across the board expect bottled water to gain in popularity – 46 percent of fine dining, 35 percent of casual dining, 30 percent of family dining, and 57 percent of quickservice operators say it will represent a larger proportion of sales in 2007.

Also according to the Forecast, coffee and energy drinks are among the hottest beverage trends in quickservice restaurants, as two out of three operators report that espresso/specialty coffees (66 percent) and energy drinks (65 percent) are growing in popularity. At fullservice restaurants, wine is showing the strongest growth in popularity; among fine dining operators, 65 percent expect wine to represent a larger proportion of sales in 2007, and 50 percent of casual dining, and 37 percent of family dining operators say the same.

The beverage-focused educational sessions include:

Staging Spine-Tingling Experiences That Boost Beverage Profits and PR Possibilities (May 20, 2 p.m.): Increasing public relations opportunities and beverage sales, presented by Michael Green of Gourmet magazine;

Alcohol Profit Primer: Responsible Service Without Sacrificing Profits (May 19, 10 a.m.): How to increase alcohol sales while utilizing responsible serving practices, presented in cooperation with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation and moderated by Donna Hood Crecca editor of Cheers;

Sustainability: Why It's Important to Growing Your Coffee Profits (May 20, 10 a.m.): The importance of sustainability in the coffee industry, presented by Margaret Heery of Bunn Corporation;

How to Create a Winning Wine Program (May 21, 2 p.m.): How to build an exceptional wine list, presented by Harvey Steinman, editor at large of Wine Spectator magazine;

Shifting American Tastes in Beer (May 22, 12 p.m.): How to pair beer with menu items, presented by Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association.

The beverage educational sessions are part of more than 60 free educational sessions that will be offered to 2007 Show attendees. Educational sessions will take place in the McCormick Place South Hall, Level 4, and technology sessions will be held in the Technology Pavilion, North Hall, Level 3. For complete details, visit the 2007 Show Web site: http://www.restaurant.org/show.

Now in its 88th year, the annual National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show is the largest single gathering of restaurant, foodservice and lodging professionals the Western Hemisphere. The 2007 Show will be held May 19-22, at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill. The Show attracts 2,000 exhibiting companies and 73,000 attendees and visitors from all 50 states and 110 countries. Free, online media registration and more information can be found on the Show Web site at www.restaurant.org/show.media.