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MEALSOLUTIONS DRAWING TOP RETAIL EXECUTIVES

PHOENIX -- Just prior to the opening of the Food Marketing Institute's MealSolutions here, preregistration lists showed a high ratio of retailers, and of top management, planning to attend.That's a true indicator of how interest in home meal replacement has exploded this year, said keynote speaker Ira Blumenthal, president of Atlanta-based Co-Opportunities, in a preshow interview.Blumenthal, a consultant

PHOENIX -- Just prior to the opening of the Food Marketing Institute's MealSolutions here, preregistration lists showed a high ratio of retailers, and of top management, planning to attend.

That's a true indicator of how interest in home meal replacement has exploded this year, said keynote speaker Ira Blumenthal, president of Atlanta-based Co-Opportunities, in a preshow interview.

Blumenthal, a consultant and marketing specialist, said, "What really impresses me is the large number of key decision-makers -- the CEOs, the chief operating officers, and presidents of chains -- registered. That says to me they're contemplating an aggressive entry into home meal replacement. For such a major initiative, they want to get their information first hand, not translated through someone they sent to the show."

Walk-up registration during the three-day event -- Sept. 8 to 10 -- is also expected to be heavy, Blumenthal said.

"Retailers and manufacturers alike have seen this as an opportunity for them to learn, to understand what's happening in home meal replacement and what they should be doing to take advantage of the trend," Blumenthal added.

"The topics of the seminars cover just about every topic you can think of, including branding, equipment, food safety, delivery systems, the cold chain, and what's most important is that it's all hands-on information."