News

Fast Casual Exec Summit to take Miami

Many of the industry’s most successful CEOs will attend to share the secrets of their successes.

October 2, 2015

A few hundred CEOs and c-level executives will meet Oct.18-20 in Miami to learn about all-things fast casual at the 10th annual Fast Casual Executive Summit. Many of the industry’s most successful CEOs will attend to share the secrets of their successes, said Cherryh Butler, managing editor of food and retail publications at Networld Media Group, which produces the event.

"The CEO Roundtable, for example, features the CEOs of Corner Bakery, McAlister's Deli, Blaze Pizza and a new concept called Eatsa," she said.

Fast casual is here to stay as time-pressed consumers demand high-quality food with fresh ingredients, served quickly, in a nice atmosphere, said David Drain, executive VP of events at Networld Media Group.

"We’d like to think we’re a part of making the industry better and helping fuel the growth through education," Drain said.

Summit highlights include:

• Food Tours: Due to popularity, a record six simultaneous restaurant tours will take place on Oct. 18. Each tour will visit three or four restaurants where attendees will sample the food and hear from the restaurant operator about the concept.
• Jeremy Gutsche Keynote: The founder of TrendHunter.com and author of two books (Better and Faster; Exploiting Chaos) will kickoff the summit with an info-packed session to help attendees get better at adapting and faster at finding opportunity.
• Four:15: Inspired by TED Talks, this session will feature four speakers who each have 15 minutes to deliver their big idea. Speakers include former all-pro Miami Dolphins linebacker (and now fast casual restaurant owner) John Offerdahl and Smashburger Co-Founder Tom Ryan.
• 10th Anniversary Party: Conference attendees will get a chance to party like an A-lister on Oct. 19 as the summit takes over one of South Beach’s hottest restaurants and nightclubs, Baoli, to celebrate the summit's 10th anniversary.
• The Perfect Pitch: Following a global contest, three fast casual restaurants will pitch concepts to a panel of experts in a friendly version of "Shark Tank."

"I remember attending the first Fast Casual Executive Summit in Pasadena, California in December 2006. It was a small group of people — about 25 — a focus group, really," Drain said. "It’s amazing to see how far we’ve come. We’re expecting 400 attendees in Miami."

Register here.