Cautious Optimism Marks CRFA Show Opening

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TORONTO — Canada’s largest hospitality tradeshow, the CRFA Show, is now underway at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto. The show runs from March 7 to 9, featuring some 1,200 exhibitor booths. Price of admission is $30.
Highlights of the show include 14 expert seminars, the participation of 12 senior Canadian chefs and seven mixologists doing demonstrations, and a new Centre for Sustainability area. For an additional fee, a Foodservice Trends and Directions conference is being held this morning, presented by Chicago-based research authority Technomic Inc. Some 12,000 delegates are expected to attend the three-day tradeshow. The CRFA Show is owned and operated by the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA).
Cautious optimism about the foodservice industry’s outlook was expressed by CRFA economist Chris Elliott. In his seminar entitled Economic Forecast & Foodservice Trends, Elliott is predicting a 2010 nominal year-to-year growth of 2.9% to $47 billion, and total growth of 20% in the five-year period ending in 2014, with total sales climbing to $55 billion. Among the continuing challenges facing the industry, Elliott cites: slow consumer disposable income growth; the size of the present consumer debt; rising food prices and labour costs acerbated by provincial moves to raise minimum wages; a continuing labour shortage; and the inroads being made by grocery stores and supermarkets that are offering home meal replacement.
Also at the CRFA SHOW, Chocolate works — including showpieces, wedding cakes and truffle making — are being highlighted in the Escoffier Society of Toronto’s Culinary Salon. On March 9, Barry Callebaut Canada Inc. will present “Passion for Chocolate” with a team of chocolatiers and pastry chefs. Lotte Andersson, Regional Gourmet Sales Manager (Ontario) for Barry Callebaut, commented, “We’re proud to be sponsoring the Escoffier Society of Toronto’s Culinary Salon, which showcases the artistic culinary talents of young and professional chefs, some of who will continue to compete on the world stage.”
TORONTO — Canada’s largest hospitality tradeshow, the CRFA Show, is now underway at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto. The show runs from March 7 to 9, featuring some 1,200 exhibitor booths. Price of admission is $30.

Highlights of the show include 14 expert seminars, the participation of 12 senior Canadian chefs and seven mixologists doing demonstrations and a new Centre for Sustainability area. For an additional fee, a Foodservice Trends and Directions conference is being held this morning, presented by Chicago-based research authority Technomic Inc. Some 12,000 delegates are expected to attend the three-day tradeshow. The CRFA Show is owned and operated by the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA).

Cautious optimism about the foodservice industry’s outlook was expressed by CRFA economist Chris Elliott. In his seminar entitled Economic Forecast & Foodservice Trends, Elliott is predicting a 2010 nominal year-to-year growth of 2.9 per cent to $47 billion and total growth of 20 per cent in the five-year period ending in 2014, with total sales climbing to $55 billion. Among the continuing challenges facing the industry, Elliott cites: slow consumer disposable income growth; the size of the present consumer debt; rising food prices and labour costs acerbated by provincial moves to raise minimum wages; a continuing labour shortage; and the inroads being made by grocery stores and supermarkets that are offering home-meal replacement.

Also at the CRFA Show, chocolate works — including showpieces, wedding cakes and truffle making — are being highlighted in the Escoffier Society of Toronto’s Culinary Salon. On March 9, Barry Callebaut Canada Inc. will present “Passion for Chocolate” with a team of chocolatiers and pastry chefs. Lotte Andersson, Regional Gourmet Sales Manager (Ontario) for Barry Callebaut, commented, “We’re proud to be sponsoring the Escoffier Society of Toronto’s Culinary Salon, which showcases the artistic culinary talents of young and professional chefs, some of who will continue to compete on the world stage.”

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