FEDA EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE MAY 10-12, 2021
FEATURED PRODUCT PRESENTATIONS
TUESDAY, MAY 11 10:30 A.M. TO 11:35 A.M. CDT
PRODUCT EDUCATION
As foodservice equipment sales are dealers’ core business, product education will be a key component of Learn 2021. During each of the opening sessions, two of the industry’s top manufacturers will highlight featured foodservice equipment, which has been selected for its particular relevance in today’s market. Attendees who participate in all four “Featured Product Presentations” and complete the follow-up tests may receive 0.50 credits toward the FEDA Product Education Certification.
TOM BENÉ KEYNOTE PRESENTATION
TUESDAY, MAY 11 10:30 A.M. TO 11:35 A.M. CDT
OPERATOR TRENDS
The National Restaurant Association’s president and CEO will highlight the organization’s current initiatives and explain how it’s helping the restaurant industry get back on its feet in 2021. To say the nation’s restaurant industry had a tough year in 2020 would be a major understatement. Gut punched by the COVID pandemic, subsequent shutdowns, and shifting customer preferences, hospitality-focused
organizations came into 2021 with new hope for the future and a resolve to overcome the challenges placed before them. As the largest foodservice trade association in the world, the National
Restaurant Association faced these challenges alongside the 500,000 businesses that it represents and advocates on behalf of. For 2021, NRA president and CEO Tom Bené says the first order of business will be to get more stimulus assistance for an industry hit hard by the pandemic.
“The restaurant industry has been devastated and by no fault of its own,” says Bené. He adds that the association was glad to see the second batch of PPP funds released in December, but that it won’t be “nearly enough to support the industry during this period.” In addition to seeking additional funding, the
association has been working on key issues like reopening guidance and ensuring that operators have the tools and support needed to safely reopen.
Through a partnership known as the “ServSafe Dining Commitment,” the NRA has been working with several large product brands to help educate consumers on how safe restaurant dining is, and encourage them to come back and see for themselves. “We’ve also been working with our members on programs to accelerate their takeout and delivery services, and partnering with other organizations on initiatives like ‘Cocktails To Go,’” Bené explains. “It’s all in the name of helping restaurants survive while also trying to drive additional financial support for them through the legislative process.”
Answering the Call The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the association’s philanthropic arm, raised about $22.5 million through its Restaurant Employee Relief Fund in 2020. Those funds were distributed in the form of grants to employees who were impacted (financially or by another hardship) during the early stages of the pandemic. “We gave out a total of 46,000 grants,” Bené says. The Foundation also provides scholarships and apprenticeship opportunities for individuals interested in a career in the restaurant industry. In January, for example, the application process for this year’s Educational Foundation Scholarship Program opened
up. “These are just a few of the Foundation initiatives that are designed to support workforce development,” Bené says.
Along with its traditional food safety and food safety development training certification, the association now offers career- development programs for restaurant and hospitality managers (both online and in-class). It also offers free courses on how to reopen a restaurant, operate that restaurant, and handle pandemic-centric conflicts (e.g., customers who refuse to wear masks). “We came up with training courses on how to deal with these types of situations,” says Bené, “and de-escalate them before they turn into major issues.”
Working Toward Diversity A part of the association since 2019, the Multicultural Food Service and Hospitality Alliance (MFHA) helps to create opportunities for underrepresented groups to move up in the restaurant industry via tangible initiatives. Its key points of focus include creating leadership pathways; supporting communities (both geographic and people/ groups); business and ownership development; and expanding representation at the board of directors and C-suite levels industrywide. “I would argue that the restaurant industry has done better than most, at least in our overall representation,” says Bené. “However, there are always opportunities for improvement. Not only is the NRA taking a leadership role and making sure
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