Two major trade show producers plan to launch a slew of new business-to-business and consumer shows this year.

Urban Expositions/Clarion Events is gearing up to unveil Healthy Food Expo, a new portfolio of trade shows and conferences serving the healthy food component of the restaurant and foodservice marketplace.

The inaugural events are slated to launch in two locations this year: Aug. 18-21 at the Los Angeles Convention Center alongside the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo and Coffee Fest, and Sept. 6-8 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando with the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show.

In 2019, Healthy Food Expo will debut March 3-5 in New York City at the Javits Center, where it will collocate with the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show, another of several foodservice and hospitality shows owned by Clarion/UX.

Focused on good-for-you food products and ingredients, Healthy Food Expo is expected to attract thousands of foodservice professionals, restaurateurs, dietitians, nutritionists and retailers and feature an expo comprising the latest in healthy food and beverage products, services and tools displayed by more than 550 exhibitors.

The show also will include a conference component packed with more than 40 educational sessions and special events including culinary demonstrations.

As consumer demand for more healthful food options continues to grow, restaurant and foodservice operators are having to respond with healthy and sustainable menu items, nutritional information, food safety and preparation techniques. Healthy Food Expo is being established to serve that demand, according to Clarion/UX officials.

“The need for a stand-alone event was evident after our 2017 shows as 85 percent of buyers in attendance were looking to source healthy, natural, gluten-free and organic products at the show,” explained Tom Loughran, vice president of the Urban Expositions foodservice event portfolio.

He continued, “Until now, there has not been a significant food and beverage-exclusive event serving this segment. And launching Healthy Food Expo alongside our existing events brings an already established buying audience who has exhibited interest in healthy food products.”

Healthy Food Expo West in Los Angeles will be anchored by The Avalon Group, known as the nation’s largest Organic Food Service broker, which has secured space for more than 50 partner brands after its successful participation in the Healthy Food and Beverage Pavilion at the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo in 2017.

“This is the place to be to introduce organic, fair trade and sustainable products to the foodservice market,” said Phillip Waring, president of The Avalon Group, which provides organic, non-GMO, fair trade and gluten-free certified brands to the foodservice, vending, c-store and micro market channels.

He added, “Our brands saw huge interest and success at the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo, and we are excited to be working with the Urban team to expand the reach of the Healthy Foods Expo and The Avalon Group brands in the Western U.S.”

Meanwhile, Marketplace Events, known as the largest producer of home and holiday events for the consumer market in North America, has announced plans to launch four new holiday shows and one new home show in 2018, with three of the four holiday shows to debut in new markets.

The Milwaukee Holiday Boutique will kick off Nov. 2-4 at Wisconsin State Fair Park; the Columbus Holiday Boutique will be unveiled Nov. 2-4 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center; the Detroit Holiday Boutique will premier Nov. 30-Dec. 2 at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, Mich., and the Mystic Lake Holiday Boutique will take place Nov. 2-4 at the new Mystic Lake Center just outside of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Ms.

Marketplace Events will also launch a home show at the GCCC in January 2019. This will be the fourth Ohio show for Marketplace, which also produces the Great Big Home + Garden Show in Cleveland, the Cincinnati Home + Garden Show and the Columbus Holiday Boutique.

Marketplace Events now produces 61 consumer shows annually in 28 markets in North America, including 38 U.S. home shows, 14 Canadian home shows and nine U.S. holiday shows. The holiday events are part of a new and growing business division for the company, which acquired its first holiday show in 2014 in Overland Park, Kan.

“Today’s announcement is further confirmation of our belief that home and holiday shows are a most fertile market,” said Tom Baugh, CEO of Marketplace Events.

He continued, “The traits that make us a successful home show producer have translated really well to the holiday show business. The growth we have seen in this area of our business has further solidified us as the premier consumer events producer in North America.”

Last year, the company acquired the largest and longest-running holiday show in the U.S., the Southern Christmas Show, which runs for 12 days in Charlotte, N.C.

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