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Join Brad at Gulfood 2013 in Dubai, UAE

18 Feb , 2013 No Comments

Gulfood 2013 Dubai UAE Logo

I’ll be leaving the states in a few days to attend Gulfood 2013 in Dubai, UAE.  For those of you not familiar with Gulfood, it’s the world’s biggest annual food and hospitality show.  This show is timed right on the heels of NAFEM which was fantastic.  It will be fascinating to see the global outlook for the industry to compare with the positive vibes in the air I’ve been experiencing domestically.

I’ve attended this show numerous times in past years and all I can say is “wow”.  It’s an unbelievable sight for a tradeshow.  The exhibit halls feel like they go on and on for miles.  Literally, anything and everything foodservice is on display.  You can source smallwares and heavy equipment, build a food production facility, buy packaging and machinery, discover ingredients from around the world, and anything else foodservice related you can imagine.

If you’re attending the show, feel free to send me a note so we can arrange a time to get together.  The actual show dates are February 25th-28th, but I’ll be in town and available for meetings before and after those dates as well.

Here’s to a great Gulfood 2013 show in Dubai!

NAFEM 2013 – A Look Back to a Bright Future Ahead

10 Feb , 2013 1 Comment

The NAFEM Show 2013

I just finished up a long week at NAFEM 2013 in Orlando which was fantastic.  The NAFEM (North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers) show only comes along every two years, this ensures there’s plenty of time between shows for new products to be developed and makes the show even more important to attend when it arrives.  Two years ago, the mood on the show floor was one of hesitation, doubt, and uncertainty.  This year however, the future looks bright for good things to come.  The event was so upbeat, attitudes were so positive across the board, I didn’t encounter a single negative view of what’s ahead.  This parallels the positive attitudes I’m seeing and hearing from customers of my own business.  The economy is back and is full steam ahead.  It will be interesting to see attitudes on a global economic scale when I return to Gulfoods in two weeks in Dubai.  I’m hopeful and optimistic the world economy is back on track as well.

The best part of the show as always were the people and relationships that make it all possible.  It was great to spend time with industry partners who I truly consider friends.  The NAFEM staff deserves kudos for the phenomenal job they did to make this all possible.  It’s no simple task to produce such a massive show, but they did so with military precision and a flawless execution.

Reflecting back upon the week of exhibits, meetings, dinners, parties, and sore feet from all the walking, I’m thrilled with the future outlook.  I’m energized and engaged to keep making myself a better person, build a stronger company, and reach for the stars to accomplish a long list of goals I want to achieve both personally and professionally.

Perhaps the most fitting event to top off the week was last night’s Jimmy Buffet concert.  Standing just a few feet away from Jimmy as he played with all his heart, I was reminded that along with all the work, all the meetings, all the efforts that are required for success, you’ve got to have some fun along the way too.  Work hard and play hard, I like it.

Here’s to a great NAFEM and a great future ahead in so many ways!  Cheers!