Annual Convention
The 2010 convention will be held September 24-26, 2010 at the Miller Centre at the Champlain Valley Exposition and the Sheraton Burlington Hotel. For exhibit reservations, please contact Donna at the association office, 1-800-842-8503 or donna@vtgrocers.org. Exhibit options, diagram and reservation form can downloaded here.
2009 Highlights
September 11-13 marked the Vermont Grocers' Association 75th anniversary convention & expo at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction and Sheraton Burlington. The Vermont Food Industry Convention & Expo is the state's most comprehensive trade show featuring the latest in products, services, and equipment. This year's show occupied over 30,000 square feet of exhibit space in the Miller Expo Centre South. The Sheraton Burlington Conference Center is the host hotel.
The Expo was sold out with 150 exhibit booths. Vendors, including about 20 new ones, offered a wide variety of products and services for all food and beverage retailers and restaurants.
The convention featured a host of workshops, seminars, events, and entertainment for participants and attendees. For the "links enthusiasts," all had a good time at the opening day Farrell Golf Outing. The Williston Golf Course hosted two flights of golfers for this popular outing. Later that day members and guests enjoyed an evening dinner cruise aboard the Northern Lights Boat in celebration of the Quadracentennial of Samuel de Champlain's voyage to the lake named after him.
Seminars and workshops included Riding the Waves of Change with noted industry leader, Harold Lloyd; Alcohol and Tobacco Certification Training; Cutting & Merchandising Beef for Optimal Performance and Beverage & Cheese Pairings. A lineup of fine entertainment was lined up throughout Saturday's show.
The annual Silent Auction was held at the Sheraton, with proceeds benefiting the Vermont Grocers' Scholarship Fund. The association annually awards $20,000 in scholarships to Vermont students. Other events at the Sheraton included a Saturday evening reception and dinner with entertainment by the Phil Abair Band and the closing brunch at the VGA annual meeting on Sunday morning.
Several of the state's food retailers had their best baggers on hand to compete for the state title and opportunity to represent Vermont at the national competition in Las Vegas this coming winter. The competition featured reusable bags this year. This year's winner was Dawn Tye of Hannaford, Dorset St, South Burlington.
This year's convention co-chairs were Marcel Marquis of Shaw's and MaryAnn Travers of Garelick Farms.
2009 Convention & Golf Photos 2
