The Midwest's Premier Good Food Event

Meet some of Chicagoland's largest buyers of local foods!  This event is meant to play matchmaker between farmers and food producers and a wide range of buyers from supermarkets, distributors, restaurants, and institutions.  It’s a reverse trade show in which the buyers have a table and meet farmers and food producers. Buyers confirmed for this event include:

• Chipotle Mexican Grill - Heidi J. Wederquist, Director of Quality Assurance & Food Safety – Purchasing
• Dill Pickle Food Co-op - Vinnie Hernandez, General Manager Tommy Berbas, Produce Buyer  Sharon Hoyer, Assistant General Manager
• Whole Foods Market – Jose Valadez, Midwest Produce Coordinator David Spear, Midwest Local Food Forager Gabe Weldin, Grocery Team Buyer
• Goodness Greeness – Bob Scaman, President and CEO Ron Cropper, Vice President
• SugarToad Restaurant – Geoff Rhyne, Chef Zandra Torrico, General Manager
  
• Local Folks Foods – Paul Skirvin, Product Quality Control and Development Steve Spencer, Buyer 
• Door to Door Organics – Chad Arnold, President Shorty Versoi, Buyer Ben Altland, Buyer, and Bret Ebel, Chicago Location Director
  
• Lou Malnati’s – Jim Freeland, Purchasing Director
• Irv & Shelly’s Fresh Picks - Irv Cernauskas, Owner
• Chartwells-Thompson Hospitality (Chicago Public Schools) – Jean Saunders, Director of Marketing
• Niman Ranch – Paul Willis, Co-Founder
• Piece Brewery & Pizzaria - Eloise Karlatiras, Director of Sustainability Bob Wagner, General Manager
•  Get Fresh – Mark Lepp