The American Meat Institute (AMI), the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), and United Fresh have announced the co-location of their premier trade shows – the FMI Exhibit and Education Event, the AMI International Meat Poultry and Seafood Convention and Exposition, and United Fresh - beginning in 2012 at Texas' Dallas Convention Center. 

The AMI Expo will be held April 30-May 3, 2012, and the FMI Exhibit and Education Event and United Fresh will be held May 1-3, 2012. 

The three shows will offer their own exhibit halls, as well as unique education programming for their own attendees. The partners will explore potential joint programming and networking events. This marks a reunion between the FMI Show and United Fresh, but it is the first co-location of either group with the AMI Expo. This co-location creates an event that connects the meat processing, fruit and vegetable, and retail industries to create synergy for all exhibitors and attendees.

"We are thrilled to launch an event that will encompass all aspects of the industry in one location to provide a continuation of our commitment to bring trading partners together, foster collaboration and build a strong industry community," said Leslie G. Sarasin, FMI president and chief executive officer. "This co-location provides the opportunity to foster leadership education opportunities that span across the industry and bring more depth and increased value to retailers from the front-lines to company headquarters."

AMI President and CEO Patrick Boyle welcomed the partnership opportunity.  "Now, in addition to state-of-the art technology and cutting-edge education, AMI packer processors have a third compelling reason to attend the AMI Convention and Exposition-thousands of their retail customers in one place," Boyle said. "Attendees will benefit from a wide array of joint educational programming.  Exhibitors at all three shows will take advantage of the expanded marketing opportunity and additional traffic on the show floor."

"We're pleased to once again co-locate the United Fresh 2012 Fresh Marketplace and FreshTech expos with FMI based on the very positive experience of attendees at both of our shows in the past," said Tom Stenzel, president and CEO of United fresh, which will hold its standalone 2011 show in New Orleans, May 2-5. "With AMI, we’ll now have an even stronger platform for increasing the attendee value proposition for all three events."

The FMI Education and Exhibit Event is the largest and most comprehensive food industry conference and exposition in North America, attracting approximately 450 exhibitors and more than 10,000 attendees from close to 100 countries representing the retail industry, including supermarket retailers, independent operators, wholesalers, mass merchants, distributors and suppliers. The AMI Expo attracts more than 450 exhibitors and 10,000 attendees from 100 countries at all levels of the meat and poultry industry, including executives, plant managers, purchasing agents, engineers, researchers and operations managers. The United Fresh show will attract 300 exhibitors and 5,000 individual attendees.