NRA Show 2009

This year, I was fortunate enough to attend the National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show held in Chicago which showcased products and services geared towards the restaurant/hospitality industry. While there were many intriguing and interesting product/service offerings, what intrigued me was how little attention was given to efficient use and conservation of space within a restaurant environment where oftentimes, every inch matters. Some of them also surprisingly did not take into account the matter of maintenance, waste, nor the emerging technologies that are increasingly being integrated within the restaurant/hospitality environment.

Some of my favorite products that were encountered included a very well-designed tower dish rack that used minimal form to hold dishes securely - in fact, they demonstrated just how well the dishes were held by mounting their tower dishrack on a rocking mechanism (similar to an earthquake), a beautiful sugar crystal stirring stick, an antimicrobial mat which would kill bacteria the moment it lands on it (used within bathrooms), advancements in biopolymers along with sustainable green materials, simple looking minimal packaging with an amazing array of features (like a thin piece of clear plastic that could withstand high oven temperatures along with layers of alternating perforations to act as insulators to keep contents like bread crispier on the outside/softer on the inside), ceramic oven racks and cutlery, and last but not least, a very elegant outdoor umbrella that was collapsible, back lit, and had a funnel to collect/drain water. Unfortunately, I didn't have the luxury of being able to take pictures to share here, however, I will write more entries in the future about individual products and service offerings I'd encountered at the NRA show this year.

It also struck to me that there seemed to be a general lack of enthusiasm and even attendance compared to say - the CES show in Vegas - where the energy and enthusiasm was incredibly intoxicating and electric. In fact, even my friend had remarked on the crowd and how attendance seemed to be 'thinned out' compared to the NRA events he had attended before. It certainly begs the question of whether the days of tradeshows are fast becoming numbered and obsolete. In any case - it was a great show to attend to gain a general sense of both current and emerging trends within the industry.