American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI), McLean, Va., has the frozen business down cold, as evidenced at AFFI-CON 2018, which will take place March 3-6 at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.

Dubbed as the frozen food and beverage industry’s premiere business networking convention, AFFI-CON 2018 is the best place to do business face to face, thanks to its 4-day schedule of meetings, professional networking opportunities and education sessions covering key industry issues. Annually attended by over 1,500 industry professionals, AFFI-CON brings together processors, logistics providers, suppliers, retailers and foodservice distributors and operators from all sectors of the frozen food and beverage industry to conduct meetings and learn about key industry issues.

Leslie Sarasin, president and CEO of the Food Marketing Institute, Arlington, Va., will open up the annual meeting by discussing the state of food retail and what it means for the frozen foods industry.

Key features of the event include:

• International buying missions. Food Export USA, Chicago, in conjunction with AFFI, will conduct a Frozen Food Buyers Mission. This opportunity allows for suppliers of product with at least 50% U.S. agricultural origin to meet qualified buyers from around the world. These buyers of frozen foods represent retailers, wholesalers, distributors and foodservice.
• Frozen Food Foundation’s fundraiser. Join colleagues, clients and friends on March 5, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., for a fundraiser at TopGolf Las Vegas in support of the Frozen Food Foundation and its mission to promote the safety, nutrition and societal attributes of frozen foods.
• Craft beer and wine tasting reception. Dreisbach Enterprises, Oakland, Calif., will deliver high-quality wines and craft beers to what is said to be the most highly attended reception of the conference. 
• NextGen happy hour and education. NextGen is a program designed to engage the next generation of leaders within the frozen food and beverage industry, creating a space to foster their professional development, provide exclusive networking and education while continuing to strengthen the relationship between AFFI and the industry. Hear from experts on leadership while enjoying drinks with peers and viewing the beautiful sites of Las Vegas.

Go to http://afficon.affi.org for more information on the show, educational programs, exhibitors and more.