2013 restaurant trends front and centre at BC Foodservice Expo

BC's $10-billion restaurant industry gathers Jan. 27 - 28 in Vancouver

VANCOUVER, Jan. 24, 2013 /CNW/ - British Columbia's restaurant owners and operators will see the hottest new products and services all under one roof at the 2013 BC Foodservice Expo. The show runs this Sunday and Monday, Jan.27 and 28, at the Vancouver Convention Centre West.

The BC Foodservice Expo is an action-packed, one-stop shop for restaurateurs looking to get fresh ideas. Those attending the show will learn about all the trends that customers will see in British Columbia restaurants in 2013.

This year's show features:

• Hosted by B.C. celebrity chefs John Bishop, Vikram Vij, Rob Feenie and Chuck Currie
• Specifics on the transition from HST back to PST and how it will affect restaurant bills
• Restaurant industry sales forecasts from CRFA and market researchers NPD Group
• Details on the B.C. Informed Dining nutrition information program
• Tips on industry and consumer trends
• The iMenu Expo, which showcases the newest gadgets, touchscreens and apps that customers will be using at restaurants
• Three exciting LIVE on-stage chef competitions

There will also be plenty of visuals in the booths as visitors savour the Asian pavilion, local artisan food, wineries, microbreweries, mocktails, locally roasted coffees and learn the art of steak slicing.

At this year's sold-out Trends Breakfast on Monday morning, restaurateurs and chefs along with food safety experts will discuss Canada's food supply and what is being done to make sure food being served to consumers arrives safely at restaurants. It's an especially relevant topic following recent food recalls and new federal food safety legislation.

The BC Foodservice Expo is British Columbia's largest hospitality trade show. Over 5,000 attendees travel from the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island and the Okanagan to take in the booths, seminars and competitions.

Registration (trade only) and media accreditation is open now at www.bcfoodexpo.ca or 1-866-300-7675.

British Columbia's $10-billion restaurant industry employs 166,000 people in communities across the province.

The BC Foodservice Expo is a trade-only event owned and operated by the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association, one of the country's leading business associations with more than 30,000 members.

SOURCE: Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association

Samantha Scholefield, BC Foodservice Expo Show Manager, 604-685-9655 x2 (office) or 604-838-7956 (cell) or [email protected]; Mary Gazze, CRFA Communications, 1-800-387-5649, ext. 4226 or [email protected].