The 2016 NTS from McLane Co. features celebrity guests and a new interactive foodservice experience.
On Aug. 30, McLane Co. Inc. kicked off its annual National Trade Show (NTS) in Grapevine, Texas.
This year’s NTS runs from Aug. 30 through Sept. 1, and it features a “Profit Playbook” theme. Throughout the event, there will be a focus on hot topics impacting the grocery and foodservice categories today. NTS also features multiple celebrities and guest speakers from a variety of top global firms and organizations.
Each year, NTS focuses on bringing retailers the latest in new technology and foodservice for more efficient inventory and ordering. Additionally, some of the industry’s leading manufacturers choose NTS as their national launching pad for new product lines and extensions. This year, the event showcases 185 exhibitors and hosts over 1,500 attendees. The all-star speaker lineup includes:
- Chad Hennings, Keynote and Former Dallas Cowboys and U.S. Air Force Academy defensive tackle
- Nik Modi and David Palmer, managing directors at RBC Capital Markets
- Jason English, managing director at Goldman Sachs
- Deon Johnson, vice president of customer technology at McLane
- Rich Kerzner and Quentin Phillipo, partners at Advanced Marketing and Sales
- Thomas Briant, executive director at NATO
In addition, attendees will have an opportunity to meet celebrity guests such as Dallas Cowboys Hall of Famer Randy White and “Duck Dynasty” star Willie Robertson.
As another main feature of NTS, McLane introduced a new interactive foodservice booth experience under the banner of McLane Kitchen, a comprehensive and customizable foodservice solution for generating optimum sales and profits for retailers. The new booth spotlights a fully functioning kitchen with multiple chefs and new menu offerings for retailers to experience throughout the show. New recipes to debut include a southwest chicken salad, a Fresh Produce + fruit snack and a Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese, all created entirely from ingredients available through McLane Co.