CHICAGO — Antojo Industry Trade Expo was launched in May of 2023 at the Pasadena Convention Center and focused on bringing together Latino restaurants, markets and street vendors to form business connections within and outside of the U.S.
The show was brought to life by independent producer Eric Jurado, who conducted market research and found that there was a need in the market for a trade event servicing the U.S.’ Latino foodservice and retail industry.
“The journey began with a glaring gap in the market: a dedicated trade show for the U.S. Latino foodservice and retail industry,” Jurado said. “With the Hispanic or Latino population now at a remarkable 19.1% of the total population, it became clear a platform was needed.”
The Makings of a Launch
With previous experience in selling exhibit space and sponsorship for the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show and SEMA, Jurado knew the importance of a well-planned and aggressive marketing and sales effort to build an exhibitor base for a show.
“Based on information developed from my three-year market research effort, I developed ‘realistic’ projections for exhibit booth sales, trade attendance by business category, sponsorship opportunities and developing the important trade media connections,” Jurado said. “I then developed realistic projections for exhibit sales, which we made for the first annual Antojo Industry Trade Expo. The attendee projections were also very close to what I anticipated and certainly were more than enough for the exhibitors to see and feel there was great potential for this project.”
To successfully launch the first edition of the show, Antojo Industry Trade Expo concurrently built the exhibitor roster and developed an attendee marketing strategy.
“This involved direct outreach to sales reps, food and beverage brokers and industry contacts through email campaigns, cold calls, social media and even in-person networking,” Jurado said. “Given the niche Latino market, a significant portion of my efforts and time was dedicated to educating potential exhibitors and attendees from Latin America and in the U.S. about the benefits of participating a trade show.”
Another key to success in its first year was the event securing the support of the Latino food and beverage community, reflected with the show being the only Latino food trade event endorsed by the Latino Restaurant Association and the Latino Food Industry Association.
“Their endorsement provided credibility, fostered collaboration, generated excitement and ensured the event aligned with community desires,” Jurado said. “This vital backing helped recruit attendees, attract exhibitors and guarantee the event’s long-term viability by creating a strong foundation built on trust, shared passion and a deep understanding of the community’s needs and preferences.”
The endorsement also means that Antojo Industry Trade Expo will serve as the annual meeting place for the associations’ members, and in 2024 it will host the 10th Annual Latino Food and Beverage Summit, helping to generate attendance for the event.
“Antojo Industry Trade Expo is the essential trade platform for driving growth and profitability in the U.S. Latino food and beverage market. It provides unparalleled opportunities for businesses to network, discover new products and expand their market reach,” Lilly Rocha, CEO of the Latino Restaurant Association said.
Looking to This Year’s Event
The 2024 edition of Antojo Industry Trade Expo will take place Oct. 13-14 at the Long Beach Convention Center Arena, and the show is anticipating more than 150 exhibitors — 50 more companies than last year — and nearly 3,000 industry professionals. With a social media following exceeding 20,000 and growing, the team is focusing on prioritizing quality of quantity in terms of reach.
“Getting to these numbers is the result of old-fashioned, boots-on-the-ground efforts — shaking hands, building relationships and knocking on doors,” Jurado said. “Our team has embraced a back-to-basics, guerrilla marketing approach, and it’s paying off in dividends.”
“Our goal is to become the epicenter of the Latino U.S. foodservice and retail industry, driving economic growth, inspiring culinary creativity and elevating Latino businesses to new heights and opening a gateway for companies who want to penetrate the U.S. Latino food and beverage market,” Jurado said. “We have already been able to help emerging startups to established brands expand their distribution channels and have empowered countless businesses to network with like-minded people where they didn’t have a trade expo to do it before.”
Reach Eric Jurado at ericj@antojoindustry.com
