Worldwide Food Expo '05 Chosen For International Buyer Program
Prestigious Commerce Department Program Brings Together Buyers and Sellers from Over 100 Countries
Washington, DC - In support of its role as a global marketplace for food and beverage equipment, ingredients and services, the U.S. Department of Commerce has accepted Worldwide Food Expo '05 into its prestigious International Buyer Program. This marks the fifth consecutive time that the biennial Worldwide Food Expo has been chosen for the program.
Registration is now open for Worldwide Food Expo, which is sponsored by the American Meat Institute (AMI), the International Association of Food Industry Suppliers (IAFIS) and the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), to be held October 26-29, 2005, at McCormick Place in Chicago.
Show sponsors noted that being a part of the International Buyer Program raises Expo's international profile and enhances its ability to serve food and beverage companies from around the world.
Part of the U.S. Commercial Service, the International Buyer Program will immediately begin promoting Worldwide Food Expo and its exhibitors through U.S. embassies, consulates and trade missions around the world. The program will facilitate meetings with qualified foreign buyers, representatives and distributors, and will assemble delegations to attend the show. The program also offers show visitors access to international trade leads and export counseling, and provides on-site assistance in the show's International Business Center.
Specifically, international visitors to Chicago this fall will have access to: translation services, private conference rooms, international telephone lines, and export-import support from the Department of Commerce's Commercial Service. The Service also provides the latest statistics on food processing equipment imports by country; advice on shipping methods; trade experts to assist with export strategies, including targeting new markets; advice on compliance with trade regulations; and assistance from agencies including the Export-Import Bank and the Small Business Administration.
Worldwide Food Expo attracts thousands of international visitors from more than 100 countries. It is the Western Hemisphere's largest showcase of innovations in processing, packaging, ingredients and services. More than 28,000 industry leaders attended the event in 2003. This year the show will once again feature more than 1,000 exhibitors covering more than a million square feet of floor space.
SOURCE: Worldwide Food Expo