UPCOMING EVENTS
Viewpoint Lunch - Sydney
Trends, Taste & What Operators Want Next
Join FSAA in Sydney for a Viewpoint Lunch exploring the evolving expectations of today’s foodservice operators - from flavour direction and menu innovation to the broader role hospitality plays in community and culture.
This session will feature Shaun Christie-David, Founder and CEO of Plate It Forward Hospitality Group, whose social enterprise restaurants and catering operations have redefined the intersection of hospitality, impact and business.
Through his experience building purpose-driven venues including Colombo Social, Kabul Social and Kyiv Social, Shaun brings a unique perspective on what modern diners expect, how operators are responding, and the opportunities for suppliers to remain relevant in a changing foodservice landscape.
Set within the iconic Sydney Swans HQ, this Viewpoint Lunch offers suppliers, manufacturers, chefs and distributors the opportunity to connect over practical insight and meaningful conversation shaping the future of foodservice.
Date: Wednesday, 29 July 2026
Time: 11:45 am – 2:00 pm
Venue: Sydney Swans HQ, Royal Hall of Industries - 1 Driver Ave, Sydney NSW
Audience: Foodservice manufacturers, distributors, procurement professionals, group chefs, category managers
Includes: Seated lunch, keynote presentation, Q&A and networking
Places are limited. Registration is essential. Platinum Partners, please contact Minnie Constan to confirm your guests
REGISTER HERE
Viewpoint Lunch - Melbourne
What are people expecting when they sit down at a major event, a corporate function or a premium occasion — and how is that changing?
Join FSAA for a Viewpoint Lunch in Melbourne as we welcome Shane Krebs, Group Executive Chef and Creative Director at Gema Group, for a practical look at how dining expectations are shifting across occasion-driven foodservice — and what that means for suppliers, distributors and procurement professionals.
Gema Group has operated across some of Australia's most demanding foodservice environments since 1984 — from the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix and Supercars Championship to Accor Stadium, CommBank Stadium, LIV Golf and Qantas airport lounges. Shane's experience spans high-volume kitchen operations, menu development, procurement and event management across stadiums, government venues, corporate functions, and large private events.
This is a session for supply chain professionals who want to understand how shifting diner expectations are reshaping the menu decisions, product briefs and supplier conversations happening inside large-scale kitchens.
What this session will cover:
How expectations around food quality, presentation and dietary options are changing at major events and occasions
The menu and product decisions that drive procurement when feeding thousands across diverse audiences
What operators are increasingly asking of their supply partners — and where the gaps are
How occasion type shapes buying decisions and what that means for category managers and distributors
Where suppliers can add the most value in high-volume, high-pressure foodservice environments
This session is designed for: Foodservice suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, procurement professionals, group chefs and category managers working across the Victorian market.
Event Details
Date: Thursday, 30 July 2026
Time: 11:45 am – 2:00 pm
Venue: Duke of Wellington, Melbourne
Includes: Seated lunch, keynote presentation, Q&A and networking with foodservice peers
REGISTER HERE
Viewpoint Lunch - Brisbane
Foodservice & the Olympics: Planning, Pressure & Procurement
Join FSAA in Brisbane for a Viewpoint Lunch exploring the extraordinary scale, logistics and procurement challenges behind major global sporting events.
This session will feature Peter Wright, Managing Director of Global Hospitality Group, who brings deep experience delivering foodservice operations for major events and large-scale hospitality projects around the world.
From feeding thousands of athletes and staff to coordinating procurement, logistics and kitchen operations under intense pressure, Peter will share insights into what it takes to deliver foodservice at Olympic scale - and the lessons suppliers and operators can take from these high-performance environments.
This Brisbane Viewpoint Lunch brings together manufacturers, operators and supply chain professionals for practical insight, industry connection and conversation about the realities of large-scale foodservice operations.
Date: Tuesday, 4 August 2026
Time: 11:45 am - 2:00 pm
Venue: Brisbane (venue details to be confirmed)
Audience: Foodservice manufacturers, distributors, procurement professionals, group chefs, category managers
Includes: Seated lunch, keynote presentation, Q&A and networking
Places are limited. Registration is essential.
REGISTER HERE
2026 FSAA Today & Tomorrow Conference - Melbourne
FSAA Foodservice Today & Tomorrow | Monday 31 August 2026 | River's Edge, Melbourne
The Australian foodservice industry is navigating a more complex environment than it's faced in years. Cost pressures, shifting consumer behaviour, new technology, evolving regulation — and the question of who's going to come out ahead.
Foodservice Today & Tomorrow brings together the leading minds in the Australian foodservice supply chain for a full day of data-led sessions, sharp panel discussions, and the kind of conversations that don't happen anywhere else.
Viewpoint Lunch - Melbourne
Behind the Large-Scale Kitchen
Standards, Logistics, Innovation & Supplier Expectations
St Vincent’s Care with guest speaker David Martin
If you supply into large-scale foodservice operations, this is a conversation you need to be part of.
Join FSAA in Melbourne for a Viewpoint Lunch that steps inside the operational realities of high-volume kitchens. This is not theory. It is a practical discussion on what it truly takes to deliver consistent, safe and high-quality food at scale.
We will unpack:
• Operational standards and compliance in complex environments
• Logistics, forecasting and supply continuity
• Procurement models and performance expectations
• Cost control under pressure
• The role of innovation in improving efficiency and resident experience
For manufacturers, distributors and procurement professionals, this session provides clear insight into how large organisations operate and what supply partners must understand to secure and maintain long-term relationships.
Viewpoint lunch - Sydney
FSAA Viewpoint Lunch – Sydney
Inside Airline Catering: Scale, Standards & Supply Chain Realities
Join FSAA for the first Viewpoint Lunch of 2026 as we go behind the scenes of airline catering — one of the most complex areas of foodservice.
Led by Kieran Brine, Corporate Chef at dnata Catering, this session explores how high-volume airline food is produced and delivered under strict operational, safety and logistical requirements. Topics include quality and consistency at scale, supplier and procurement realities, and innovation in highly regulated environments.
A valuable session for manufacturers, distributors, procurement, category managers and foodservice leaders.
📅 Wednesday 18 February 2026
🕰 11:45 am AEDT
📍 Sydney
REGISTER
Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year)
Chinese New Year 2026: Traditions, Horse Year Celebration Calendar
Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, is the most important festival in China and a major event in some other East Asian countries.
Chinese New Year is the festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar. Chinese New Year 2026 will fall on Tuesday, February 17th. The date changes every year but is always somewhere in the period from January 21st to February 20th.
It was traditionally a time to honour deities and ancestors, and it has also become a time to feast and visit family members.
Scholarships launch
Scholarships are open from January 28 until
Marketing scholarship closes April 30
Business Scholarship Closes May 29
End of Year Celebration – Melbourne
Join us for the FSAA End of Year Christmas Event in Melbourne - a chance to unwind and connect with your industry peers after a busy and intense 2025.
We’ve planned a couple of relaxed hours filled with good company, food, and refreshments, with a fun twist - bowling at Kingpin Crown!
Located in the heart of Southbank, Kingpin Crown is the perfect spot for a light-hearted afternoon. Whether you’re coming solo, with colleagues, or just looking to catch up with friends, it’s the ideal setting to wish each other well for the Christmas and New Year period.
Date: 19th November Time: 12–2 pm Location: Kingpin Crown, Melbourne
We look forward to seeing you there for an afternoon of fun and festive cheer!
End of Year Celebration – Sydney
Join us for the FSAA End of Year Christmas Event in Sydney – an afternoon of bowling, great food, and festive drinks to celebrate the close of 2024. Taking place at the newly revamped Kingpin North Strathfield, once home to the iconic Arnott's Biscuit factory, this relaxed event is the perfect way to catch up with industry peers and unwind.
Date: 18th November
Time: 12–2 pm
Location: Kingpin North Strathfield, Sydney
We look forward to celebrating the season with you!
REGISTER
Viewpoint Lunch – Perth
✈️ Elevating Taste at 35,000 Feet
How do you keep food operations running smoothly at scale, while balancing cost, quality, and innovation?
Join us in Perth for the FSAA 2025 Viewpoint Lunch Series as we hear from Charlie Ricciardello, National Head of Procurement at Foodfolk. With 35+ years of industry expertise, Charlie will share first-hand insights into:
Building resilient supply chains
Procurement strategies that go beyond cost
Logistics and distribution challenges
Sustainability and innovation in inflight catering
The future of procurement in large-scale foodservice
📅 Wednesday, 22 October 2025
📍 The Claremont Hotel, Perth
⏰ 11:45 AM – 2:15 PM
The session includes networking, lunch, keynote presentation, Q&A, and a lucky door prize.
🎟 Register now to secure your seat.
👉 Platinum Partners – contact Minnie Constan to confirm tickets.
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