RCI: Reflecting on the past, looking to the future
Retail Confectioners International preparing to celebrate 100th anniversary
In 1917 a 16-oz. chocolate bar merely cost a couple of pennies. During this same time, candy makers and their suppliers were convening in Chicago with a shared passion for confections and the goal of building their businesses through the support of their peers. Nearly 100 years later, Retail Confectioners International (RCI) is preparing to mark our centennial, and we invite industry professionals (both members and non-members) to celebrate with us throughout the year.
As an association that exists to support the confectionery industry, we continue to offer avenues for candy makers and their suppliers to grow their businesses. Join in RCI’s year-long celebration by attending the following events designed specifically with the retail confectioner in mind.
Providing relevant education has always been a fundamental component of our association, connecting like-minded professionals to grow and learn from each other. One of RCI’s most sought-out educational events is Chocolate Boot Camp, which is taught by RCI members and experts in the industry with more than 150 years of combined experience.
The knowledge and experience our instructors have to offer, combined with the course’s hands-on approach, make it a must for confectioners — both established and new to the industry — who are looking to learn practical techniques of chocolate making and apply them to their businesses. Promising to sell out for the sixth year in a row, this annual course is scheduled for Feb. 20-23, 2017, at Fascia’s Chocolates in Waterbury, Conn.
Following our roots to Chicagoland, RCI will host its Annual Convention & Industry Expo June 12-16, 2017, at The Westin Lombard in Lombard, Ill. As a culmination of RCI’s anniversary celebration, this year’s annual convention will serve as a reunion for past and current members to connect, share ideas, solve problems and develop their candy-making and entrepreneurial skills.
The weeklong event will use every opportunity to celebrate the association’s past, while looking forward to the future of the industry through educational sessions, industry suppliers’ Expo and store tours.
For RCI’s 2017 Fall Regional Conference, there are few destinations more appropriate for commemorating one’s past, present and future than Albuquerque, N.M. Dating back 12,000 years to when the Puebloan Indians inhabited the land, much of the city’s history is still alive today and evident in the architecture, cuisine, music and art.
Known as “The Land of Enchantment,” Albuquerque is also home to The University of New Mexico, making it a hotbed of innovation and creativity. Designed with retail confectioners in mind, attendees can expect the perfect mix of tradition and innovation during relevant educational sessions and local confectionery store tours in Albuquerque.
Join us as we celebrate an association that has built its reputation on serving members of the confectionery industry since 1917.
Upcoming RCI Events & Education Courses:
Chocolate Boot Camp
Feb. 20-23, 2017
(Registration Open Now)
Fascia’s Chocolates
Waterbury, Conn.
Annual Convention & Industry Expo
June 12-16, 2017
The Westin Lombard
Lombard, Ill.
Fall Regional Conference
Oct. 4-6, 2017
Hotel Albuquerque & Hotel Chaco
Albuquerque, N.M.
For more information about upcoming RCI events, visit www.retailconfectioners.org/events.
