NEW YORK, N.Y. — Baldor BITE — the biennial food expo and celebration that draws more than 2,000 retailers, farmers, chefs and restaurateurs — has been rescheduled for Sept. 9 because of increased health and safety concerns over the new coronavirus, called COVID-19, outbreak in the New York City metro area.
The event was originally scheduled for April 28 in the historic Seaport District of lower Manhattan, according to the release. It’s organized by Bronx, N.Y.-based Baldor Specialty Foods, an importer and distributor of fresh produce and specialty foods in the northeast and mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S.
“As a food distributor, we always take health and safety matters seriously,” Baldor CEO TJ Murphy said in the release. “After consulting with local and state health agencies, we’ve decided to follow the guidelines they’ve issued that now recommend cancelling large gatherings where participants would be within arms-length of each other.”
The food expo is where chefs and suppliers build new bonds throughout the entire supply chain, while enjoying foods and drinks.
Assembling more than 150 exhibitors, BITE promotes responsible sourcing and sustainability within the food industry, according to the release. It features product and cooking demos, competitions, giveaways from Baldor and its top partners, farms, customers and friends.
“We’re all very disappointed to have to postpone BITE, but it’s the responsible step to take,” Murphy said in the release. “… we’ll be back and better than ever, once it’s prudent to do so.”
While the company is postponing the BITE event, it’s still business as usual at Baldor’s facilities, where additional health and hygiene protocols have been put in place, according to the release.
“Please know, we didn’t make this call lightly. We weighed all our options and consulted the experts. It just makes sense to postpone this event until a time when we can all fully enjoy it, safely,” Murphy said in the release.
To learn more about the cancellation and information about the new date, visit the event page.
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