MIDA moves annual summit to P.R. Convention Center
The Puerto Rico Chamber of Food Marketing, Industry and Distribution (known as MIDA by its Spanish acronym) will hold its annual convention at the Puerto Rico Convention Center for the first time, June 28-30, trade group president Ricky Castro announced.
“After the passing of [Hurricanes] Irma and María, Puerto Rico faced major changes and new challenges,” Castro said. “MIDA has been no exception, so we have responded to the challenges with new plans that align with the innovation we have always sought out.”
The event will draw more than 246 exhibitors and will be the meeting place for food industry leaders who will have the opportunity to expand their business networks, receive information and take advantage of all that the industry offers.
In addition to expanding the exhibition area, the “MIDA 2018 Conference and Food Show” will present an educational program including several industry studies, including the
“Consumer X-Ray” and the “Portrait of the Food Industry,” which aim to provide relevant data for both the industry and public policy makers.
“We will also have international speakers on specialized topics and we will present an analysis of the vulnerability of the supply chain of in case of emergency, prepared by professors at the University of Puerto Rico and the Universidad del Turabo,” said Manuel Reyes, executive vice president of MIDA.
The agenda also includes a business roundtable, in which buyers from major supermarket chains and suppliers of hundreds of products will meet with the goal of “achieving multi-million dollar negotiations,” MIDA executives said.
New products and ideas that will set the standard in the future will also be presented. The event will conclude with a gala to recognize the pillars of the industry for their performance last year.
The new location will allow MIDA not only to expand the exhibition area, but have a greater number of participants that is expected to exceed 10,000 people. MIDA had traditionally held its annual conference at the El Conquistador Resort in Fajardo, which remains closed due to damage sustained from Hurricane María’s passing.
“Our Convention Center was created precisely to host this kind of event that promotes economic strength in our market. As a space designed for events of this caliber, we’re confident that we will continue to have the chance to celebrate conventions like this, contributing to our social and economic well-being,” said Jorge L. Pérez, general manager of the Convention Center.
