Confirmed Sponsors and Exhibitors can use this space to access resources needed to get prepared and set up for their exhibitor experience. Below you will find critical dates and information that your team should be aware of and items to complete.
Attention: Please help your staff attending understand their badge type
Tradeshow (or Exhibit Hall) Only Badge – Provides access to only the AHF Tradeshow on Saturday, August 24th as well as set up and breakdown. Does not provide access to receptions, meals or sessions. Email Leah Reily to upgrade your passes. A separate ticket can be bought for the opening reception during badge registration for $250 or on site if needed.
Full Conference Registration Pass – Access to all sessions, receptions, meals, and the Tradeshow.
Register for your badges when registration opens in March. To redeem complimentary passes included in your sponsor or exhibit package, use the code(s) provided to you by Leah Reily or Sarah Bennett when registration opens. Can’t find your code? Email Leah at lreily@healthcarefoodservice.
Event Location:
August 23-25, 2024
JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa
23808 RESORT PARKWAY,
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, USA, 78261
AHF arranged a discounted room rate at the JW Marriott of $209 plus room tax per night for single/double occupancy. AHF has also negotiated a reduced resort fee. Hotel registrations are open. This rate was available through July 29, 2024. The hotel MAY continue to honor the rate if they have space available, but AHF cannot guarantee a room or a room at the discounted rate will be available to you. Please contact the hotel to see. Subject to availability, AHF attendees may also be able to access the discounted rate 3 days before and 3 days after the dates of AHF’s annual conference.
EXHIBITOR/SPONSOR TRAINING WEBINAR
Booth Selection
AHF’s booth selection process is underway. We will reach out when it’s you’re time to select. Booth selection is done by sponsorship level and then by date of payment. If you have not yet been contacted, please know AHF is working as quickly as possible to move through our booth selection process to get everyone secured. You will be contacted by AHF’s Executive Director Leah Reily with further information and links to get your booth set up and secured. If you have questions in the meantime, please let Leah know below. You may also explore the exhibit hall map below to get a sense of your preferred area. If you wish to upgrade your sponsorship level at anytime, please contact Leah for assistance.
Leah Reily, Executive Director
lreily@healthcarefoodservice.org
1-800-899-1109 x700
Exhibitor Storefront, Shipping, & Ordering
The Exhibitor Kit and Portal are available. Your team will have gotten an access email from Alliance. Access the storefront to order furniture, power, and all the items you need for your booth. This is also where you can find all information needed related to your booth, including shipping information and shipping labels. To access the storefront, you need to be a confirmed sponsor. If you have issues with the storefront, or questions about your booth purchases, furniture, and other items please contact our exhibit services company, Alliance Nationwide Exposition.
Alliance Nationwide Exposition
exhibitorassistance@alliance-exposition.com
888.528.2011
Ordering and Shipment DEADLINES:
It is recommended that you ship exhibition materials to the advanced warehouse to ensure materials are in your booth in time for setup. The standard warehouse material handling charge will be honored for all shipments received by the listed deadlines. Any shipments sent directly to the facility will be required to be handled by Alliance Nationwide Exposition Company. The prevailing warehouse material handling rate plus a 20% minimum surcharge will be added to all direct shipments.
Perishable, Frozen, and Dry Good Food Shipments: Must arrive at the Omni (DO NOT send to the advanced warehouse) between Tuesday, August 20 through Friday August 23rd. No shipping and receiving on Saturday or Sunday. Food tracking form must be completed by Monday, August 12, 2024.
Advance Shipment Receiving Opens – Wednesday, July 24, 2024
First day warehouse will begin receiving advance shipments without surcharges.
Advance Order Discount Deadline – Friday, July 26, 2024
All orders must be received with payment in full by this date to receive discounted pricing.
Advance Order Deadline – Rental Exhibits & Custom Table Throw – Friday, August 2, 2024
All orders must be received with payment in full by this date to guarantee production of the order for the show. These items will not be available to order after the deadline date.
Advance Shipment Deadline – (Non-Food) – Friday, August 16, 2024
Last day for advance shipments to arrive at warehouse without surcharges.
Onsite Schedule:
Friday August 23, 2024 – 8:00-5:00PM – Exhibitor Move-in
Saturday August 24, 2024 – 8:00-10:00 AM – Exhibitor Move-in
Saturday August 24, 2024 – 12:30-4:00 PM – TRADESHOW HOURS
Saturday August 24, 2024 – 4:00-6:00 PM – Exhibitor Move-Out
Sunday August 25, 2024 – 7:00-9:00 AM – Exhibitor Move-Out
Sunday August 25, 2024 – 8:00 AM – Carrier Check-In Deadline
Sunday August 25, 2024 – 9:00 AM – Outbound Shipping Agreement Deadline (all exhibitors must submit outbound materials handling agreement to the exhibitor services desk)
Sunday August 25, 2024 – 9:00 AM – Re-Route Deadline (Shipments not picked up by the exhibitors carrier and/or remaining on the exhibit floor will be re-routed at this time)
Rules For Carrying / Taking Material/Product to your booth
Hand Carry: Exhibit booth personnel can carry in product/boxes as long as they don’t need the loading dock or use materials handling equipment (no use of dolly)
Brokers: AHF and Alliance have also made special consideration for brokers delivering locally. These will be defined as deliveries of 25 lbs or less via a local broker with multiple exhibitors in one delivery. Each exhibitor within the delivery will be charged. Deliveries greater than 25 lbs will be subject to standard material handling rates.
- Personally Owned Vehicles: If there are local exhibitors who wish to deliver in a privately-owned vehicle (POV) at the foreman’s discretion they will qualify for a special cart service under the following criteria. Cart service is one flat cart and one laborer to assist:
– A POV is a privately owned (not company-owned or rental) vehicle primarily designed for passenger use such as a car, pickup truck, SUV, passenger or minivan, taxi, or limousine, and is not constructed or intended for transport of cargo or freight.
– Length of delivery vehicle does not exceed 24’
– Content of vehicle does not require any mechanical handling devices such as a pallet jack or forklift to unload or transport
– Content of vehicle can be stacked and positioned safely on one flat cart for delivery to the exhibitor’s booth
– Total weight of delivery does not exceed 350 lbs.
– This is to ensure POVs are unloaded and immediately leave the loading dock area, no cars may be left while the exhibitor goes to the booth.
Please email us if you have questions about delivering (or carrying in) your product, equipment, and supplies to the show.
Lead Scanning/Retrieval
Each Exhibitor, Emerging Brand and Sponsor receives 1 lead retrieval license. This will allow you to scan leads from 1 cell phone. Our lead retrieval provider is CVENT. An email will be sent 1-2 weeks in advance of the conference by our provider CVENT with instructions on setting up your profile so you can scan leads. This email can only be sent to 1 individual, it will be sent to your primary POC who can then assign your profile to the appropriate person who will scan leads on-site. You can adjust the questions available when scanning leads when setting up your profile.
PLEASE KINDLY SET YOUR PROFILE AND ACCESS UP PRIOR TO ARRIVING AT THE CONFERENCE. We will have support on-site, but cannot guarantee last-minute troubleshooting if we have a rush from all sponsors.
If you wish to purchase an additional license(s), please email lreily@healthcarefoodservice.org. Each extra pass is $180.
Food SHIPPING, Collection Form, AND KITCHEN PREP TIME REQUEST
Due by August 12th
To help us ensure AHF can track all products being sent as well as your exhibit booth needs, please complete the form below. This form should be completed by all sponsors providing F&B product at their exhibit booth as well as anyone providing F&B product for an event or meal throughout the conference. However, especially those shipping PERISHABLE items must complete the form and their shipments MUST be labeled with an AHF shipping label (which can be found in the exhibit booth ordering portal above).
Refrigerated, Frozen, and Dry Food Product for use in meals or use in exhibitor Marketplace booths may be shipped to the hotel in advance, to arrive between: August 20-August 23rd.
Do not send perishable food product to the advance warehouse.
The form will also provide the option to request kitchen prep time and outline what equipment you might need.
Please complete the online Food Sponsorship Collection Form included in the PDF below, and submit by: August 12th
What’s Included in a STANDARD Booth?
Each 10×10 standard booth package will include:
8’H Backwall Drape – Grey
3’H Siderail Drape – Grey
1 – 6′ Skirted Table – Grey Skirt
2 – Side Chairs
1 – Wastebasket
Standard Booth Identification Sign
BOOTH NOTES
–If you are sending large equipment – please contact us for support coordinating: edwardl@mmsmeetings.com & lreily@healthcarefoodservice.org
AV & Electrical will need to be purchased through Encore (hotel AV). The form can be accessed in the Exhibitor Portal.
–The Exhibit Hall is Carpeted
–If you will be using a cooking device in your booth, a Fire extinguisher is required (Bring your own, or rent from Alliance Exposition). Only electric or butane cooking equipment is permitted for use in the Exhibit Hall. All other cooking equipment is prohibited (i.e. no open flames, propane, etc.). You may provide your own fire extinguisher or order one through the booth portal above.
— Exhibitors ARE allowed to use Sterno as a fuel source. Don’t forget your extinguisher!
—Exhibits using food, beverage, ink, chemicals, or other liquids must install visqueen to cover the entire booth area. If carpet is being used, the carpet may be laid on top of the visqueen; however carpeting does not substitute for the full coverage visqueen requirement. You may provide your own visqueen.
Discounted Water & Ice
AHF has worked to negotiate a special rate through our contract with the hotel for Sponsors to receive a discounted price on bulk Ice & Water.
—-$15++ per pound of ice
—-$8++ per pound of ice
You will receive a request form in the coming weeks. Please complete before the cutoff date to receive the discounted rate. All requests made after the cutoff will receive the prevailing hotel rate.
What’s Included WITH NEW/EMERGING BRAND TABLE?
New/Emerging Brand spaces are unique. They are smaller, but comfortable networking spaces meant for first-time brands to experience the power of the AHF community. New/Emerging Brands will be contained in a comfortable “networking area” behind the AHF lounge. The AHF Lounge will not block the view of the New/Emerging Brand lounge.
Each New/Emerging Brand table and space include:
Networking area with 1 high boy table 42″ high and 32″ diameter
2 Stools
Space to include x1 pop-up banner with a maximum size of 3 ft wide and 8 ft high
Booth Identification Sign
**The Exhibit Hall is Carpeted
Certificate of Insurance:
All exhibitors must provide a certificate of liability insurance if not sending booth products through AHF’s primary vendor, Alliance Expositions, and using a third-party broker for setup or delivery. Certificates of liability must be sent by August 12th. The certificate information and requirements are below:
– $2,000,000 General Liability (Each Occurrence).
Email your certificate to: Edward Lonsinger – edwardl@mmsmeetings.com
CERTIFICATES SHOULD NAME ALL OF THE FOLLOWING AS ADDITIONAL INSURED:
Association for Healthcare Foodservice (AHF)
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 110-267
Arlington VA 22203
JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa
23808 RESORT PARKWAY,
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, USA, 78261
SANITATION & Safety Rules
As we plan to meet safely in San Antonio, TX, we want to provide you with any updated policies and procedures related to sanitation. All participants in the expo hall must be in compliance with the regulations set forth below.
– Food and beverage can be served – and is encouraged (please note that AHF’s marketplace is the lunch so we encourage you to serve food and drinks if desired), but should be served in single-serving containers.
– If serving food you will need a sanitation station at your booth (e.g. bowls to wash hands, hand sanitizer, sanitation wipes, towels for cleaning) – Basically, a way to sanitize your station properly throughout the show.
– If serving food and drinks from your booth, the booth attendants serving and preparing food must wear gloves
AHF Operator Raffle
AHF plans to host a raffle with prizes offered by the Association and our sponsors. If you wish to contribute an item as a prize for the raffle, please complete our raffle submission form below and tell us what you’re providing. This form and notification are due by August 1st.
Here’s how the raffle will work:
Operators will receive points using our mobile app for completing actions in the mobile app. More points will be awarded for sponsor and exhibitor activities like “favoriting” a vendor or viewing their mobile app profile. They will get points for other activities as well.
AHF will distribute sponsor-contributed raffle prizes to the winners. The number of operators we distribute to will depend on how many raffle prizes we receive.
Operators can select the gifts they receive based on their ranking. The game, and points collection, will run from the time the mobile app opens until the end of the tradeshow on Saturday.
How are items distributed to operators?
Most items should be distributed by the vendor directly to the operator. We recommend planning to mail anything too large to fit in a suitcase, and if you cannot find the operator. AHF will connect you with the winning operator to provide them with your raffle prize.
AHF staff are unable to receive and distribute large items on your behalf. Please arrange for appropriate mailing to the winning operator.