WWFE 2007 to highlight beverage innovation with unique sessions and features.

Beverage manufacturing innovations and global trends are on the bill for Worldwide Food Expo 2007 in Chicago, October 24 to 27. Washington, D.C.-based International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and the American Beverage Association (ABA) and have teamed up to present educational programming and special show features specifically for beverage manufacturers, bottlers and other industry leaders.

ABA, as a top endorser of this year’s Expo and owner of the biennial InterBev trade show, will sponsor a track of three educational sessions:

“New Functional and Fortified Beverages” (Wednesday, October 24, 9:30-10:30 a.m.), will feature Donna Berry, product development editor for Dairy Foods magazine, and invited speaker Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, director of the International Food Information Council Foundation. The speakers will explore the next generation of functional beverages and discuss the benefits of value-added ingredients such as vitamin D, omega-3 and calcium.

“Global Beverage Trends” (Thursday, October 25, 8:15-9:15 a.m.) will feature Jason Holway, marketing consulting director with Zenith International Ltd., on innovative beverage products in development around the globe and the impact on the U.S. market.

“Trends in Beverage Consumption” (Friday, October 26, 8:15-9:15 a.m.) will feature Gary Hemphill, senior vice president, Beverage Marketing Corp., providing up-to-date beverage category data. Hemphill also will examine the trends and key companies behind the data.

In addition to these ABA-sponsored sessions, Worldwide Food Expo will present four general “Super Sessions” to highlight global demographic, economic and food trends; a series of in-depth plant operations workshops designed to help plant managers cut costs and improve efficiencies; and more than 20 concurrent sessions on topics ranging from organic labeling to sanitary design principles.

Of interest to some beverage manufacturers, IDFA also will offer a pre-show workshop on juice and dairy HACCP. “We encourage beverage industry professionals to sign up now for Worldwide Food Expo to take advantage of the strong programming opportunities, and to get new ideas on efficiency and technology from the show floor,” says IDFA vice president Susan Ruland.

Meanwhile on the show floor, beverage manufacturers can talk with more than 1,000 exhibitors about the latest formulation, processing, packaging and distribution technologies. ABA’s booth will feature a dynamic “InterBev Beverage Bar,” showcasing the latest in beverage offerings, while also providing a sampling of what’s in store at InterBev 2008.

ABA also will hold its board of directors meeting in conjunction with Worldwide Food Expo, and will encourage its members to take advantage of the full offerings at the event — both in programming and on the show floor. “We believe the contribution of InterBev and Worldwide Food Expo in alternate years gives ABA members an annual opportunity to keep pace with new beverage introductions and technology innovations,” says ABA president and chief executive officer Susan Neely.

 “There is a great fit between these two shows,” adds IDFA president and chief executive officer Connie Tipton. “Worldwide Food Expo attracts a growing number of beverage leaders, and InterBev provides a perfect even-year forum for those companies as well. It makes sense to offer beverage manufacturers and marketers cutting-edge innovations and technical education at both of these world-class events.”

Worldwide Food Expo is the premiere food and beverage processing and packaging event in North America, featuring the world’s leading suppliers. Attendees from 100 countries visit the show to learn about new technologies, trends and ideas. Worldwide Food Expo features two co-located events: the IDFA Food, Dairy & Beverage Exposition and AMI International Meat, Poultry & Seafood Convention and Exposition.

Detailed show information and online registration is available at www.WorldwideFood.com