The organisers of the Foodservice Australia trade exhibition scheduled for May 2020 in Sydney have announced that the event will be postponed to November.

Exhibition Director Tim Collett said that “updated government advice and feedback from exhibitors has made this decision inevitable.”

“The safety of exhibitor and visitors is the top priority and we believe this is the right decision given the circumstances.”

The show will now run from November 8-10, 2020 at the ICC Sydney. The floor plan and special events such as the National Restaurant Conference, Aged Care Catering Summit, Café School and Chef of the Year will all move to the new dates.

“It is a very challenging time but I know we will get through this together and bounce back stronger,” Collett said.

“It will be the same show running in a new time slot. The only difference is that it will be far better timed for the economic recovery”.

Major exhibitors have backed the change, with Soren Gleitsmann from the National Association of Food Equipment Suppliers saying “we appreciate that the organisers have consulted widely and made this decision. This will allow the industry to focus on their people and start planning for the recovery.”

When asked about the cost of moving the show, Collett said that Specialised Events was committed to the long-term success of the show and would be running a whole new campaign for visitors.

“Everyone is impacted and we just have to roll up our sleeves and make it work,” he said.

Thousands of chefs, restaurateurs, café owners, bakers, pâtissiers, caterers, suppliers and producers will gather for three action-packed days.

Organisers are currently contacting exhibitors, visitors, speakers, competitors and suppliers to facilitate the change. All existing commitments will be transferred. People with questions are encouraged to visit the Foodservice website or call the food team on 03 9999 5460.