CATEX 2021 to take place from 21st - 23rd September - Message from IFSA Chair, Patrick Clement

​Following ongoing consultation by the board of IFSA with exhibitors and our partners and faced with the continued backdrop of uncertainty which COVID brings to us all, we have taken the decision to reschedule CATEX 2021 from 23-25 March 2021 to 21-23 September 2021. 
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The rationale behind choosing this date was a combination of trying to keep CATEX 2021 in the 2021 year, while giving ourselves some additional time to assess how the COVID-19 pandemic and indeed the country will react to the rollout of vaccinations early this year. 
Our event partners, Eventhaus ltd, have been in direct communication with both the Department of Enterprise and Employment and the Department of Health over recent months drafting a set of robust protocols and guidelines (see attached)  for the safe return of trade fairs and exhibitions. This work has led the Government to include provision for the return of trade fairs and exhibitions once the Country and County are in either Level 1 or Level 2 as outlined in the Resilience and Recovery 2020 – 2021: Plan for living with COVID document – see reference to large exhibition venues such as the RDS https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/18e18-level-2/#organised-indoor-gatherings.

As you are aware many of our Industry partners such as Chef Network, The Panel Of Chefs, The Bartenders Association, and The Speciality Coffee Association , all depend on CATEX as a showcase for their annual activities and to recruit new members. It is vital that CATEX continues to provide this support platform this year, particularly when our Industry is experiencing such pain and loss right now. 

IFSA has worked hard over the last 6 months to provide timely, relevant and useful information to our members as they grapple with the challenges that the pandemic has presented.  Initiatives such as the Foodservice Industry Re-opening Solutions, the IFSA & Chef Network Catering Business COVID-19 Operating Guidelines & Procedures and the ongoing News and Industry Updates are examples of the practical support that a trade association can offer to its membership in a time of crisis.  We appreciate the support of our membership in keeping your membership subscription up to date and would encourage any other foodservice suppliers to join the community now as we all work towards recovery.   

Yours sincerely,
 Patrick Clement
IFSA Chairman