Make Plans Today for the Next
International Pizza Expo®
Las Vegas, March 25-27, 2014

 

The largest and longest-running trade show serving the pizza industry will be in its 30th year and still growing.

At Pizza Expo 2013 this past March, more than 6,900 pizzeria owners and operators representing millions of dollars in buying power visited 450-plus exhibits seeking new products and services.

Attendees sat in on more than 80 education sessions, including seminars, panel discussions and live cooking and baking demonstrations. They also participated in—or were spectators of—the World Pizza Games® and the International Pizza Challenge®, competitions that draw big crowds and offer coveted prizes.

Here are some other business-building and networking opportunities being planned for the 2014 show:

Special Pre-Show Program for New Operators and First-Time Attendees

Scheduled for Monday, March 24, this focused day of education geared to Pizza Expo newcomers has become a must-do for operators who are new to the business or to the show. With nearly 700 pre-registrants this year and even more expected in 2014, there will be high energy for a day of seminars, workshops and networking sessions.

Beer & Bull Idea Exchange®

Now a Pizza Expo tradition, these roundtable networking sessions will return as a way to relax in the late afternoon after a full day on the show floor and in the seminar rooms. With refreshments in hand, pizza operators bring their problems and solutions to the table—and moderator and Pizza Today publisher Pete Lachapelle solicits ideas on some of the biggest issues from the entire group.

World Pizza Games Finals & Rockin’ Party

A Wednesday evening capper featuring the acrobatic dough spinning finals of the Games, this entertaining stage show brings the crowd to its feet in appreciation of the athletic juggling prowess of the competitors, who perform their highly choreographed routines to music. Food, drink and other entertainment round out the festivities.

International Pizza Challenge Finals

Thursday is bake or break day in the final rounds of this pizza making competition, which is divided into four divisions: Traditional, Non-Traditional, American-Pan and Italian-Style. The four division winners will square off in a final using ingredients from a common table and one mystery ingredient that all must incorporate on-the-spot into their pie to present before the judges. The champion is crowned Pizza Maker of the Year.

$20,000 MEGA BUCKS Giveaway™

The final show-stopper will take place on Thursday afternoon, when one lucky attendee wins the drawing for $20,000. Any attendee can participate. You must be present to win. And who wouldn’t want to be?

"A lot of the ideas we've gotten for this business have come from Pizza Expo. We've spent a lot of time in the seminars — all of us have — from the time just before we opened up our first store to this past year. We've listened to other independents and pizza experts talk about their experiences. We've learned from these other operators . . . The most important part is that we've instilled what we've learned into our own system and we've done it consistently" - Adam Goldberg, co-owner of Fresh Brothers

Adam Goldberg co-owns Fresh Brothers with his wife Debbie and brother Michael.

"Thanks to the database mailers recommended to me at Pizza Expo by Dan Collier and Scott Anthony, our Cheyenne store is now the number two store in sales in the Mr Jims Pizza chain. December is up 17.59% up and January is 15.2% up. Incredible how the database mailer works. I got many redemptions. I was able to even cut off a few other nonperforming bulk mailings.Our Laramie store is up 8% in December and 6% in January. Last summer when I started this, Laramie was even or down in sales. Thanks for the advise. I will try to thank you both at the Pizza Expo." - Mike Gire, owner-operator of Mr. Jim's Pizza

Mike Gire is owner-operator of Mr. Jim's Pizza franchises in Cheyenne and Laramie, Wyoming.