Retail Industry Guru To Close Out Annual Meat Conference

Washington, D.C. – Expert retail industry analysis and the importance of making critical decisions will be the focus of the Closing Session at the 2007 Annual Meat Conference, Feb. 18-20, 2007, at the Caribe Royale Orlando All-Suites Resort and Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.

Kevin Coupe, founder and “Content Guy” of MorningNewsBeat.com, the online source for daily retail news, will lead the session. Questions Coupe addresses each day, such as how companies can attract the next generation of consumers or how they can differentiate their products and services in an era of intense competition are the focus of his new and provocative presentation, “The Decision Zone: Six Issues You Must Confront in 2007.” His message: the stakes are too high, the time is too short and the customer is too demanding for retailers and suppliers to put off critical decisions that will define their futures and their hopes for survival.

In addition to his online trade journal, Coupe also runs Coupe Communications, a production company specializing in business videos and Internet content designed to help companies define and share big ideas with employees, customers and clients. Coupe also makes regular guest lectures at colleges across the country and is a frequently cited expert in national publications.

Cosponsored by the American Meat Institute and the Food Marketing Institute, the conference has become the premier meat marketing and operations educational program, designed to bring every segment of the retail meat and poultry supply chain together. Associate sponsors include the American Lamb Board, America’s Beef Producers, the National Chicken Council, the National Pork Board and the National Turkey Federation.

The Caribe Royale Orlando All-Suites Resort and Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. is located minutes from all of Orlando’s attractions. The resort is a tropical oasis ideal for business, pleasure or a little of both. Room rates are $199 for a single or double. For the special conference rate, be sure to contact the hotel directly and mention the Annual Meat Conference by Jan. 16, 2007.

Registration can be completed online or by submitting a registration form. Early Bird Registration – prior to Jan. 5, 2007 – is $595 per person ($545 for three or more registrations from the same company). After Jan. 5, 2007, attendees pay the regular conference rate of $695 per person ($645 for three or more registrations from the same company). Five or more retailers/wholesalers attending together receive the special group discount of $515.

For more information, registration and ongoing updates, visit the Annual Meat Conference Web site at http://www.meatconference.com.