It’s no secret that in the restaurant industry, innovation is crucial to staying relevant, and this is no different for trade shows.
The New England Restaurant and Bar Show’s rebrand is evidence of this, with their new focus on educating restaurateurs, building community within the food service industry, and providing business solutions that emphasize new technologies.
The revamped show also turns an eye to the underrepresented restaurant bar, offering solutions for those looking to flesh out their bar or drink menu.
“So much goes into beverage, and there are so many different, cool things you can do with beverage throughout the industry; it just seems like the natural evolution of the show,” said Steve Clark, president of the New England Restaurant and Bar Show.
Placing more of an emphasis on a bar or beverage menu can not only increase profit, but can offer restaurants the opportunity to develop signature drinks and other methods of standing out among competitors.
“It never hurts to make some changes,” Clark said regarding both the show and established restaurants. Giving some attention to the bar or beverage menu can add a lot to a restaurant’s offerings.
Part of the rebrand includes the addition of daily beverage demos, which provide a way for professionals to showcase their skills and share new ideas.
They’re also focusing on providing resources for building out the bar, including bringing mixologists and people who market beverages, both alcohol and non-alcohol, to the show floor.
“There are always new ideas that come out, especially when you get all of these professionals together,” Clark said.
The upgraded New England Restaurant and Bar Show offers resources for novices and seasoned restaurateurs alike. One of the main aims of the show is to help people of all levels of experience find solutions for their restaurants.
“The show is a good opportunity for new restauranteurs to come and learn from others in the business,” Clark continued. In addition, the show offers education sessions on everything from profitability to using AI to enhance your employment base and minimize labor costs to successfully managing the lifecycle of a restaurant.
One of the important aspects of these sessions is the focus on incorporating new technologies into daily operations.
Tech plays a huge role in optimizing restaurant operations, and can be used in areas that many people might not think about, such as menu optimization and streamlining inventory tracking.
Of course, this also applies to marketing and finding and targeting ideal customers.
Tech isn’t the only forward-thinking aspect of the show— “We show a lot of new products,” Clark said.
“There’s a lot of very cool, very trendy food development going on.”
This includes plant-based menu solutions that emphasize healthier dining.
“There’s definitely a market for plant-based dining, and it’s proven that there are consumers who will seek out plant-based food, so there will be plant-based options at the show,” Clark said.
“New England’s university student populations seem to initiate creativity.”
Trade shows offer what Zoom meetings and emails can’t: an ability not only to taste and sample products, but to meet suppliers, distributors, and other restaurant professionals face to face.
“We’re so virtual these days,” Clark said.
“How often do we actually get the opportunity to have customers and vendors in one place to shake a hand or give a hug? Bringing everyone together, physically, under one roof, really emphasizes who we are as an industry. The restaurant industry doesn’t work remotely.”
The show offers the perfect opportunity to get face-to-face with a client base. Attending a show like the New England Restaurant and Bar Show is an opportunity to learn, improve your own business, and form relationships with others in the industry.
To learn more or exhibit at the New England Bar and Restaurant Show, visit New England Restaurant & Bar Show website.
