FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 2, 2025
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Tina Jordan
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Naomi Greer
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TOP EXHIBITORS, KEY F&B; EXECUTIVES COME TOGETHER AT DEBUT OF F&B; AT G2E
Exhibits, Conference Track, Special Events Highlight Importance of F&B; in Gaming Industry
LAS VEGAS—More than 70 top food and beverage exhibitors were put face-to-face with key F&B; decision makers at the debut of F&B; at G2E, a culinary marketplace catering to the burgeoning food and beverage sector of the gaming industry. Held Oct. 5-7 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in conjunction with Global Gaming Expo (G2E) 2004, the event featured exhibits, special events and a new conference track designed to highlight a sector that has contributed an increasingly significant portion of overall gaming industry revenues in recent years.
Sponsored by the Epicurean Club of Las Vegas, whose members include the leading F&B; executives from major Las Vegas casinos, F&B; at G2E featured 73 exhibitors in more than 8,600 square feet of exhibit space on the G2E show floor. F&B; at G2E was open to all 25,000 G2E attendees, 1,100 of which indicated a specific interest in F&B; products and services.
“We received a very positive response in our first year hosting F&B; at G2E, and our debut numbers were strong,” said Rino Armeni, founder and first president of the Epicurean Club of Las Vegas. “The importance of F&B; in the gaming industry is not just a passing trend, and people who want to succeed in this arena need the knowledge and tools to do so. As the only event of its kind designed to specifically address the unique challenges facing the F&B; industry in this market, F&B; at G2E is where to come for that knowledge and exposure to the best products and services.”
Exhibits at F&B; at G2E featured products ranging from gourmet food and beverage and food service equipment and supplies to technology, décor and other items essential to the delivery of an outstanding culinary experience. Major exhibitors included the Boston Beer Company, Cardinal International, Inc., Classic Wines of California, The Coca-Cola Company, Ecolab, Island Oasis, Libbey, Inc., Lipton Foodservice, Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs, Oneida Ltd., Pepsico Foodservice and the Pepsi-Cola Company.
“G2E was the first trade show we’ve ever done, and the feedback we received was phenomenal, both in terms of who came by our booth and the leads we generated at the event,” said Bill Bolletino, national sales director at Milton Abeles, Inc., the largest independent processor of prime beef in the United States. “We have already gotten a lot of new business as a result of the show, and it’s only going to get better next year as more chefs and F&B; executives from the industry learn about the event and attend.”
G2E 2004 also featured a new F&B; conference track, focusing on issues such as restaurant design, market expansion, franchising and F&B; profit potential. Speakers included chefs, F&B; vice presidents and other top executives, allowing attendees to learn how to develop successful F&B; operations from gaming industry leaders.
Beyond the conference and exhibits on the show floor, F&B; at G2E featured a number of special events designed to showcase the growing importance of the F&B; sector in the gaming industry. The event kicked off with the Neon Chefs competition, the opening keynote event of G2E 2004. Modeled after The Food Network’s Iron Chef series and hosted by television personality Robin Leach, the live competition pitted chefs from Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group and the Hard Rock Hotel’s NOBU against a team representing Bellagio’s Le Cirque and Circo. A panel of Las Vegas celebrity judges awarded a narrow victory to the team from Bellagio.
Special events in the F&B; at G2E area of the show floor included wine, champagne and holiday cocktail tastings; a seminar on wine and food pairing; and a cooking demo by renowned chef Todd English, creator of the Olives restaurants.
In addition, the G2E Mohegan Sun Oyster Open Finals featured a competition between the world’s fastest oyster shuckers, and attendees had the opportunity to sample from a replica of the world’s largest wedding cake, developed by Mohegan Sun executive pastry chef Lynn Mansel and his team of 57 chefs and pastry artisans.
“This year truly was a great start for F&B; at G2E,” Armeni said. “We had strong attendance from F&B; executives from throughout the industry, and attendees were extremely happy with the consistently high quality of the educational content and exhibitors. I have no doubt we will continue to grow and attract the leaders in this important sector for years to come.”
G2E 2005 and the second annual F&B; at G2E are scheduled for September 13-15, 2005, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. For more information, go to www.globalgamingexpo.com.
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Global Gaming Expo (G2E) is the international gaming trade show and conference “by the industry and for the industry.” Organized by the American Gaming Association (AGA) and Reed Exhibitions, G2E made its debut in fall 2001, defining itself as the pre-eminent show for the gaming-entertainment industry. G2E’s portfolio of global gaming events includes Casino Design and Racino.
The AGA represents the commercial casino-entertainment industry by addressing federal legislative and regulatory issues. The association also serves as a clearinghouse for information, develops educational and advocacy programs, and provides leadership on industry-related issues of public concern.
Reed Exhibitions is a world leader in creating high profile, targeted industry events where buyers and suppliers come together to do business. Every year, Reed events bring together some 160,000 suppliers and over nine million buyers from around the world. Today, Reed events are held in 35 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia/Pacific, and are organized by 30 fully staffed offices. Reed’s portfolio of 470 events services 49 industries in 12 key sectors.
For more information about G2E 2004, visit www.globalgamingexpo.com.
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