CHICAGO — Informa Connect and Winsight are forming a new Foodservices group that offers a full suite of digital media, marketing services, conferences/trade shows, and industry-specific research and insights. The Foodservices vertical within Informa Connect will consist of industry-leading brands specializing in all aspects of restaurant, foodservice, convenience, catering and food retail.
“We’re really excited about the enhanced opportunities we can offer our customers by bringing together some of the biggest brands and products in the foodservices space,” Aharon Shamash, Group President, Foodservices, Informa Connect, said. “We are now able to go to market as an aggregated solutions provider, delivering cutting-edge research to our customers and enabling them to access the latest insights and content across multiple channels, including print and digital media, marketing services and industry-leading events.”
Following the acquisition of Winsight, producer of the National Restaurant Association Show, by Informa PLC in May 2023, the combined mission of the businesses has been to better serve its customers within what is now the single largest global community of foodservice and retail professionals. As a combined unit, the businesses can now offer unprecedented market coverage and subject matter expertise.
“By introducing a ‘house of brands’ operating model, we have sought to align brands with complementary focus from across Winsight and Informa Connect’s portfolios. This facilitates greater collaboration and knowledge-sharing internally while unlocking greater ROI for our external customers, who will benefit from a streamlined user experience, additional subject matter expertise and an expanded audience database of operators and retailers,” Shamash said.
As part of the review of products and services and determining the best go-to-market approach, Informa is uniting brands in the noncommercial foodservice and grocery/supermarket business. Effective in the first quarter of 2024, Food Management and Foodservice Director will combine into a unified brand under the Foodservice Director label. Similarly, Winsight Grocery Business will merge under the Supermarket News umbrella.
“The National Restaurant Association Show has been going from strength to strength, and we’re looking forward to seeing that growth continuing as part of Informa Connect’s new Foodservices group,” Tom Cindric, President, Exhibitions, Informa Connect, said. “Coming together as a combined ‘house of brands’ will enable the show to reach an expanded audience and connect even more of the foodservices industry. We’re also excited to explore and leverage the international opportunities which come from being part of a global business like Informa.”
Reach Aharon Shamash at aharon.shamash@informa.com; Tom Cindric at tcindric@winsightmedia.com
