ORLANDO — This month, Trade Show Executive (TSE) is looking at venues from our May 2025 Print F&B highlight, investigating trends and innovative offerings. Today’s “Food Friday” spotlight is on Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center (OCCC), the site of TSE’s 2025 Fastest 50 Awards & Summit. The OCCC ranks third by size in TSE’s 2024 World’s Top Convention Centers report.
TSE sat down with Warner Peck, Sodexo Live! Director of Sales and Marketing at the OCCC, to learn about the venue’s F&B trends.
1. Hyper-Experiential Cocktails and Signature Beverages
“Guests are drawn to exclusive, trendy ‘Instagramable’ drinks that create buzz,” Peck said. “We’re seeing more custom cocktails tied to event themes, much like the Taylor Swift Eras Tour themed
beverages our Sodexo Live! team did at our venues where she played, which inspired us to do a ‘Coaster Cosmo’ at IAAPA Expo which became a big draw for attendees.”
Peck shared that signature beverages can drive engagement.
“Unique cocktails and signature beverages drive social media sharing, creating organic marketing and fun talking points among other guests at the events,” Peck explained.
2. Elevated Quick Service Foods with a Global Twist:
The OCCC offers an upscale take on comfort foods, combining familiar dishes with bold, international flavors.
“Quick service is important for busy days, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun with the flavors and types of dishes we serve,” Peck said. “Think breakfast empanadas, bao buns or high-end chicken quesadillas in cones — comfort foods with gourmet execution.”
Related. 2025 TSE Fastest 50 Awards & Summit Dazzles in Orlando
Peck added that this type of offering increases guest satisfaction, catering to both adventurous eaters and those seeking familiarity, and even serving as a conversation starter.
Related. “Food Friday” — F&B Trends at the Savannah Convention Center
3. Sustainability
Peck shared that more events are demanding plant-based options, sustainable packaging and reduced food-waste initiatives.
“Many large events now require sustainable solutions — recent food shows mandated electric refrigeration over diesel and emphasized compostable materials,” Peck said. “One of our Sodexo Live! sustainability leaders, Emily Zientek, was recently named a ‘20 in their Twenties’ influencing leader by PCMA.”
The venue also has center-to-table gardens which, with 81 vertical towers and a total of 3,564 plants, are hailed as the largest aeroponic garden in a public venue.
“Retail food and beverage operations at OCCC now highlight vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free choices within an average 45-second transaction time — fast and forward thinking!” Peck said.
Peck explained that sustainability enhancements create positive and important awareness that highlights their (and their clients’) commitment to sustainability, the environment and making a difference through hospitality.
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