LAS VEGAS — It might seem strange to see a brownie producer at a pizza show, but in reality, it’s a perfect match.
Miamisburg, OH-based The Killer Brownie Co. exhibited during the 2021 Pizza Expo, held Aug. 17-19 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, marking the first time the commercial brownie producer had a booth the show. The decision was strategic for creating business connections in a niche foodservice market such as pizza.
While the Killer Brownie brand is well-known in the retail space, the company created new opportunities by putting its name on the radar in a new area of foodservice.
“We’re very comfortable in the retail space, and this event has been incredible for us to introduce the foodservice space to what we do,” said Chimene Ross, Killer Brownie’s president and chief customer officer (CCO). “I’m learning a lot about what people need, and we are showing them what we’re able to offer.”
The Killer Brownie began as a product sold at Dayton, OH-based Dorothy Lane Market and gained notoriety in the retailer’s box lunch service. It eventually branched off as its own entity, and Ross has significantly grown the company’s sales and geographic reach.
Exhibiting at foodservice-related tradeshows is a natural step for further diversifying the business.
“At a show like this you can get so much exposure — and exposure to distributors — who can help you get to operators who have multiple locations,” Ross said. “These types of shows can be truly life-changing for a business.”
From potential business collaborations to connecting with supplier partners to good old-fashioned networking, The Killer Brownie Co. team saw several benefits for exhibiting Pizza Expo. Additionally, the company spotted potential business opportunities with other exhibitors.
“Frequently we will meet other companies that we can either do business with or that we can find inspiration from at shows like this,” Ross noted.
