2026 Suppliers’ Day
2026 Suppliers’ Day
Wednesday, September 30 @ 12:00 PM – 9:30 PM UTC
Join us at the Great Lakes IFT Annual Suppliers’ Day at Devos Place. Start the day at the annual Expo by visiting with our exhibitors, then network with your peers at the After Party.
Why Attend?
Stay Ahead
Learn from industry experts and discover the latest trends and innovations in the food & beverage industry.
Make Connections
Network with suppliers, peers, and decision-makers from across the food industry.
Find Solutions
Discover new ingredients, technologies, and services to solve today’s challenges and drive tomorrow’s growth.
Celebrate Together
End the day with great conversation, dinner, drinks, and connections at our After Party.
New this year: Students! Display your poster presentations at the show.
Schedule
| 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Exhibitor Set-up |
| 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM | Technical Sessions |
| 2:00 PM – 5:30 PM | Suppliers’ Expo |
| 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM | After Party |
Location
Exhibitor Booths
Get $50 off booth registration when registering before May 31, 2026!
Registration fee: $525
Included with your Booth:
Exhibitor booth registration includes a box lunch.
Get Your BoothBooths with a green fill are open for reservation.
- Zoom into the map booth below to see more details on each booth – number, size, and cost.
- Once you’ve found the right booth, click on it to select. The panel on the left should display the relevant booth information.
- When you’re ready to move forward, click “reserve” on the left panel. You’ll be taken to the exhibitor portal to complete your reservation.
- In the registration page, you’re able to select booth add-ons & sponsorships to your reservation.
- Once you’ve selected any add-ons & your information is correctly entered – press “Reserve” at the bottom of the page. You’re all set!
Once you’ve registered you’ll receive information via the provided email, as well as the link to your individual exhibitor portal.
Booth Extras
Lead Retrieval
$125
Track your leads! Using your smart phone, download the lead retrieval app and scan the badges of the attendees you talk to at the show!
Add comments to your leads and download your leads full information including ratings/comments in an excel spreadsheet.
- One purchase per company – can be downloaded by multiple people
- Downloadable app for Android and iOS
Electricity
$75
Extra 6′ Table
$25
Logo on Booth on Floor Map
$50
Logo on Scrolling Banner on Map
$100
Featured Listing
$150
Your company placed at top of list
Become a Suppliers’ Day Sponsor
Give your company additional exposure and support the Great Lakes IFT Section at the same time!
Purchase sponsorships in your ExpoFP Exhibitor profile.
Lake Superior (Gold)
$2000
Logo in Booth on Expo Floor Plan
Logo in ALL Expo eMarketing as Sponsor
Signage at Expo
Logo on Expo Webpages
Logo in Header on Expo Floor Plan
Featured Listing in All Searches and Categories
Lead Retrieval
Dedicated eMarketing (send us your artwork)
Full Page Ad in Buyers’ Guide
(8) Tickets to After Party
Lake Huron (Silver)
$1500
Logo in Booth on Expo Floor Plan
Logo in ALL Expo eMarketing as Sponsor
Signage at Expo
Logo on Expo Webpages
Logo in Header on Expo Floor Plan
Half Page Ad in Buyers’ Guide
(4) Tickets to After Party
Lake Michigan (Bronze)
$1000
Logo in Booth on Expo Floor Plan
Logo in ALL Expo eMarketing as Sponsor
Signage at Expo
Logo on Expo Webpages
Quarter Page Ad in Buyers’ Guide
(2) Tickets to After Party
Lunch Sponsor
$1500
Signage in Lunch Area
Logo on Expo Pages
Logo on Booth Map
Featured Listing on Booth Map
After Party Sponsor
$1500
Signage in Entry Area
Signage in After Party
Recognition on webpages & e-marketing
Snack Station/Coffee Sponsor
$750
Supply the snacks throughout the day!
Signage at Dedicated Food Displays
Logo on Expo Pages
Logo on Booth Map
Featured Listing on Booth Map
Wi-Fi Sponsor
$500
Limit of 1.
Lanyard Sponsor
$100
Providing approximately 400 lanyards and badge holders with your company’s logo.
Limit of 1.
Bag Sponsor
Generously sponsored by Carroll Products/Cello-Wrap Packaging
$100
Provide approximately 200 bags with your company’s logo.
Limit of 1.
2025 Buyers Guide
Buyers Guide Ads
Get your ad into the show directory. Soft copies of the directories will also be used to market the 2025 Expo.
Full Page Ad: $400.00
Half Page Ad: $250.00
Quarter Page Ad: $150.00
Logo: $100.00
All ads must be received by August 31, 2026 to be included in the Guide. All ads should be in JPEG, PDF or EPS form.
Ad Sizes (No Bleeds)
Full page: 8.5×11
Half page horizontal: 8.5×5.5
Half page vertical: 4.25×11
Quarter page: 4.25×5.5
After Party
Following the expo, join fellow attendees, exhibitors, and industry professionals at the Great Lakes IFT Suppliers’ Day After Party for an evening of conversation, connection, and celebration.
Held at IDC inside the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, this event is the perfect opportunity to unwind after a successful day at DeVos Place while building valuable industry relationships in a relaxed atmosphere.
Don’t miss this opportunity to continue the conversation and cap off a great day at Suppliers’ Day!
Register to AttendPricing
Location
Amway Grand Plaza, Curio Collection by Hilton
Book your hotel room for the event a special rate.
Located at: 187 Monroe NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, US
Book Your StayDiscover how cutting-edge, energy-efficient technology is transforming food processing byproducts into high-value, market-ready products; while reducing waste. This session explores how circularity in the food system can be both sustainable and profitable, with real-world case studies highlighting ingredient innovations, natural plant-based food dyes, compostable packaging, and bioplastics. Learn how companies are 100% of their harvest, cutting emissions, and tapping into fast-growing markets through strategic valorization of byproducts.
Presented by
Liz Weaver is a strategic business leader who drives growth at the intersection of marketing, business development, and operational excellence. With a background in progressive marketing leadership roles, she brings experience in brand strategy, customer engagement, and organizational effectiveness.
At GTF, Liz leads initiatives that strengthen market presence, foster meaningful customer relationships, and align business objectives with execution. Known for translating complex challenges into clear, actionable strategies, she helps organizations build efficient processes, drive collaboration, and achieve sustainable growth.
Liz is passionate about connecting people, ideas, and opportunities to create lasting impact for businesses and the communities they serve.
Sustainability goals increasingly require deeper visibility into ingredient sourcing, but many brands aren’t sure where to start. This session will explore how brands can work more effectively with ingredient suppliers to gather the information needed for life cycle assessments and understand the agricultural practices behind the ingredients they use.
We’ll discuss practical ways R&D and procurement teams can engage suppliers to learn about regenerative and sustainable farming practices, supply chain data, and ingredient sourcing. The session will also provide an overview of current certifications and frameworks available to support sustainability or regenerative claims, helping brands better navigate a rapidly evolving landscape.
Presented by
Rachel Klataske is the Senior Director of Business Development at Nu Life Market, a vertically integrated sorghum mill in Scott City, Kansas, where she partners with farmers, brands, and food manufacturers to expand the use of sorghum and advance sustainable, traceable ingredient supply chains.
A graduate of the Kansas State University Bakery Science and Management program, Rachel began her career in Research & Development at Post Consumer Brands. With experience spanning product development, ingredient sourcing, and business development, she brings a practical perspective on connecting agricultural sustainability goals with R&D, procurement, and commercialization strategies.
Rachel also serves on the American Society of Baking Board of Directors and the Kansas State University Department of Grain and Food Science External Advisory Board.
Consumer preferences don’t exist in a vacuum. The foods, flavors, ingredients, and experiences consumers seek are often a reflection of the broader forces shaping their daily lives. From health goals and financial pressures to cultural influences, convenience needs, emotional well-being, and evolving values, these underlying drivers influence how consumers think about food and ultimately what they purchase.
Understanding these motivations helps uncover the “why” behind changing behaviors, allowing brands to move beyond trend observation and develop products, messaging, and experiences that resonate on a deeper level.
Presented by
Mark W. Staples Jr. is a global marketing executive with more than 25 years of experience leading marketing transformation, digital strategy, customer engagement, and commercial growth for organizations including Kalsec, Kellogg Company, Coca-Cola, and EMC.
As Vice President of Global Marketing at Kalsec, he leads worldwide marketing strategy, brand development, digital transformation, and commercial marketing initiatives that drive business growth and strengthen customer relationships.
Throughout his career, Mark has built award-winning marketing organizations, developed data-driven customer strategies, and led large-scale business transformations that have generated significant revenue growth, operational efficiencies, and industry recognition.