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Editor's Note: Eric Jurado, a veteran of the trade show industry, recently contacted us about a new show he and his partners are organizing for the Latin restaurant industry. We asked him some questions:
Tell us about your background - how did you get into the trade show business, and what were you doing prior to launching Cocina Sabrosa Trade Expo & Marketplace?
I have been in the trade show industry for 16 years working for two of the largest trade shows in the world. I’ve been involved in operations, marketing and show management. My two business partners have been in the trade show industry 35 and 27 years respectively; needless to say we are certainly highly experienced and well equipped to put a new successful trade show into the market.
What made you decide to launch a new show for this market?
The U.S Latin food market is a multi-billion-dollar industry and the fastest growing cuisine in the U.S. There are almost 60,000 Mexican restaurants in the U.S. with $45 billion in retail buying power, and 74 percent of these are independently owned. When I went to the big restaurant or kitchen equipment shows in this space, I noticed the Latin food and restaurant market was very underrepresented and mostly tucked in the corners of these large or horizontal shows. I felt that there needs to be a trade show that exclusively caters to this powerful segment of the food industry. I wanted this industry to have a show to call their own. The idea for the Cocina Sabrosa Trade Expo and Marketplace is to exclusively serve the Latin food and food services community in the U.S. I expect this expo to be THE single place where it’s not just a commercial benefit to see Latin food professionals at one place and at one time, where everyone is relevant, but a professional celebration of the exclusively authentic Latin kitchen industry, its products, flavors, brands, people, music and culture. Being Mexican- American, born and raised in Santa Ana, California, I grew up with the food, community, and culture.
What will make Cocina Expo an important show for the exhibitors? In other words, what will persuade exhibitors to spend the extra time and money to exhibit at your show?
We want the exhibitors who specialize in the Latin food market to not only be the focus of the show, but we want them to be successful and find our event more cost effective than other trade shows. I really wanted to change the typical trade show experience and give the Latin food service marketplace a two-day trade expo that is culturally focused, affordable, unique, curated, visually appealing and most importantly authentic. Cocina Sabrosa Trade Expo and Marketplace will be unlike any event that the Latin kitchen industry has participated in and is specifically focused on industry networking, product discovery, discussion and wholesale buying and selling. Booth space is already selling as it is priced well below other shows and booths come fully furnished with hard walls and shelving for merchandising along with a table and chairs, in other words, turnkey. Exhibitors are expected to see independent Latin restaurants, distributors, markets, taquerias and food truck operators, plus many more segments of the Latin food industry.
Same question, but for attendees: What about Cocina Expo will make it an important place for the attendees to come to?
Networking with like-minded people, meeting face to face with current vendors and discovering new products to set their business apart are key elements to why attendees will come. Buyers won’t need to wade through companies and services that aren’t relevant; at Cocina Sabrosa Trade Expo and Marketplace buyers will find only industry specific vendors. The central location of Long Beach affords easy access for buyers from the Southwest. In fact, thousands of Latin food businesses are located within an 8-hour drive of Long Beach. This trade show is right in the heart of the Latin food marketplace and is strategically timed to position brands to buyers when the market is ready to buy in a concentrated, focused and industry specific environment. It will be the place where the buyers come see, smell, taste, and feel the vast array of food and beverage products, kitchen equipment, and business services serving the Latin food industry in an exciting and culturally relevant environment.
Give us the details - dates, times, locations, costs, etc.
September 28-29, 2020, the doors of the Long Beach Convention Center, Pacific Hall in Long Beach, California will open for the first annual Cocina Sabrosa Trade Expo & Marketplace. Within the hall of exhibitors, we will also include product demonstration areas, speaker platforms, and El Zócalo on the show floor. Outside the hall we will feature La Sala and a networking plaza with food and music. Here is what some in the industry have already said:
"We are excited to see all the food products and maintain the current relationships with the businesses who will be at Cocina Sabrosa Trade Expo" -Tapia Brothers
“This is the show we need for the Latin Food Market. It’s the perfect combination of business and relationships. This will be where it all will happen!” -Aztec Foods
“Long Beach is the perfect location to have Cocina Sabrosa Trade Expo. It is centrally located in the hub of the Southern California Latin food market” –Super A’s
I look forward to hosting the industry in this new exciting two-day trade expo and marketplace. You can find us at cocinaexpo.com or at ericj@cocinaexpo.com or on Instagram at #cocinasabrosaexpo
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