Published: October 01, 2008 11:42 pm         

Mid-America Food Show helps present new products

Every vendor at this year’s Mid-America Food Show had something new on the market to show people in the food service industry and customers of Mid-America.

Seventy-two vendors at-tended this year’s show, more than last year, as well as some ancillary products like ATM and Made in Oklahoma Coalition, which represents products manufactured in the state.

Ron Lukenbaugh, president of Mid-America Wholesale, said the show is the first of its kind in the state to feature all-new products.

“We’re also the first to give a $20 gas credit to our customers for fuel,” he said.

Lukenbaugh said Mid-America sells many products, and the goal of the show is to help customers enhance their businesses. The show has been held annually since 1980. There has been some consolidation of companies whose products are available, but there is more interest from customers, Lukenbaugh said.

Richard Wasson, executive director of the Made in Oklahoma Coalition, said the organization represents 35 companies that manufacture their products in Oklahoma, including recognizable brands like Shawnee Mills, Hiland Dairy, Clement and Bar-S foods.

“When food businesses have the chance for a purchase, we hope they will look at Made-in-Oklahoma products first,” Wasson said.

The companies in the MIO Coalition employ more than 19,000 people and sell $3 billion worth of products each year.

Alex Meek, owner of Davinci’s, attends the show every year. Meek said she generally finds it helpful and often purchases items from the vendors at the show.

“It’s good to see the vendors and see what is out there. We learn a lot more about the food products,” she said.

Another addition to this year’s show was a wine garden with three area wineries represented, Lukenbaugh said.

Mid-America primarily serves restaurants, nursing homes and convenience stores. Customers attended from as far away as Kansas, Perryton, Texas, and Cleveland and Elk City in Oklahoma

More than 600 people attended the show. Luken-baugh said that number is equal to those attending the Oklahoma City food show.