2007 Dessert Expo in Atlanta June 1 - 3.

[shaloop]

Is anyone planning to attend this year? Has anyone attended in the past and if so do you find that it helped your business or improved your skills? If you plan to attend this year what do you hope to get from it?

I plan to attend this year and hope to learn what's new in the field as I'm new to the business and live in a dessert challenged area.

Link to Dessert Expo

[bripastryguy]

I've never attended this expo before but have heard good things about it. I am attending with a potential investor, I am using it to open their eyes as to how huge this industry is. I will arriving in aTLANTA ON tHURS mAY 31 AND ATTENDING THE SHOW On Friday June 1 then getting on a plane and coming bak to NY that nite (a real rush trip, but I have a busy cake weekend)

[Mr. Delicious]

I was hoping to but still havent committed. Waiting for my income taxes, then hopefully.

[sugarseattle]

Hmm. this looks interesting. I wonder if it would make sense for me to go..I've been running a wholesale bakery and am searching for and hope to open a retail location soon. any thoughts?

[shaloop]

Hmm. this looks interesting. I wonder if it would make sense for me to go..I've been running a wholesale bakery and am searching for and hope to open a retail location soon. any thoughts?

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I've just begun doing wholesale and think this will be a good opportunity to see what other areas are offering and to see if there are any other items that would be good to offer my clients. I think it's always a good idea to know what others are offering and what's new so that I can learn how to do it, lol.

[Mr. Delicious]

Did anyone go? was it worth it? What was it like? Would you go next year? Im still upset I didnt go.

[shaloop]

Did anyone go? was it worth it? What was it like?  Would you go next year? Im still upset I didnt go.

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I did go. I enjoyed it. I'm not sure I would go again though. The Dessert Expo was paired with the CoffeeFest. I think the expo was mostly geared towards coffeeshop owners. There were restaurant design services, coffee syrup and frozen beverage companies, packaging companies, coffee roasters and manufacturers and dessert manufacturers among a few others. The desserts looked very nice and most that I tasted were very good. Any new coffeeshop or restaurant owner who wasn't involved with creating or producing their own pastries or desserts would have been impressed. And although there were several very informative demonstrations and presentations by pastry chefs, I'm a newbie and have lots to learn. I believe most posters on this board, however, would already know the things demonstrated. There were some new products such as packaged joconde mix which I got a sample of and can't wait to try and baking transfer sheets for joconde (or other applications.) I got samples of chocolates that I look forward to comparing. I even got a few recipes that I'd like to try. But, as it was in Atlanta it's only a 6 hour drive from me and I have family there and so it was a dual purpose trip and I didn't have to pay airfare or lodging. If it were hosted somewhere less convenient or farther away in the future I probably wouldn't bother. All in all, though, it was nice.