2026 Sponsorship & Exhibitor Opportunities
Partnering with AHF connects your company to the $22+ billion healthcare foodservice market and the growing senior dining segment. As the national nonprofit leading self-operated foodservice, we provide access to hundreds of key decision-makers, 85%+ have buying & decision-making power. Through annual sponsorships, conference exhibiting, and customizable a-la-carte opportunities, you can build relationships, extend your reach, and drive brand visibility. We don’t just sell sponsorships—we build partnerships, integrating Business Partners into every level of our work, from the conference floor to year-round recognition. If attending our conference isn’t feasible, our media kit lets you craft a customized package to engage this influential audience.
Basic Details: AHF sponsorships run January to December, and signup is open until filled. Bronze-level packages and above include both annual and conference benefits. We recommend securing your spot early for preferred selection. To be included in the spring release of the Business Partner Directory (Bronze+), your sponsorship must be fully paid by March 31. In recent years, packages have sold out by summer, with waitlists required.
- Renewing 2025 sponsors and exhibitors will have exclusive access to renew their participation from October to December 1, 2025.
- Starting December 1, 2025 the program will open to all new and renewing sponsors and exhibitors on a first-come, first-served basis. Inventory is limited for each level, reach out with any questions!
Who Should Sponsor? We welcome foodservice industry companies looking to connect with self-operated leaders in healthcare and senior dining. Our community includes a diverse range of vendors, products, and services, such as food and beverage, distribution, technology, robotics, software, AI, equipment, consulting, sanitation, waste management, sustainability, and more.
Need Immediate Assistance? Contact AHF’s Executive Director, Leah Reily, at 1-800-899-1109 x700 or email: lreily@healthcarefoodservice.org
Schedule time directly on Leah’s Calendar Here.
Elevate Visibility with Foodservice Leaders
Why self-op matters: AHF believes strongly in the idea that self-operated foodservice improves food quality and customer satisfaction. We work to ensure self-operators are empowered with the right tools, resources and community support to achieve financial and operational success. You are a core part of that success. The North American hospital foodservice market is estimated to be worth $22.8 billion by 2026 . Senior facilities encompass billions more. AHF estimates the healthcare industry account for 50-70% of facilities in North America – the majority.
AHF prides itself on being a data-driven organization that seeks to collate and present key insights into the self-operated world. Business partner members and sponsors can gain access to those insights (some sponsorship levels – Silver and above receive additional reports).
In 2025, AHF members continued to emphasize technology-driven solutions, but with a clearer focus on implementation-ready goals. While themes like automation, AI, and digital platforms remained important, there was a sharper prioritization of mobile ordering, robotics, and patient-directed services, along with growing interest in sustainability. The 2025 responses suggest a shift from broader ambitions to more actionable, implementation-ready goals—highlighting specific technologies, software systems, and menu innovations now moving from “wish list” to “operational priority.”
Operators’ 2025 top three concerns were:
- Staffing (HR/Recruitment)
- Budgets/Financial Concerns
- Training, Development, and Retention/Recruitment
AHF operators are growing, renovating, and innovating. The top five actions operators plan to take in the coming 3 years:
- 92% will purchase equipment
- 78% will invest in new technology/software
- 56% will overhaul their menus
- 52% will upgrade their café or restaurant space (14% increase from 2024)
- 51% will renovate their kitchen
