SOCAN was out in full force at the 2008 edition of the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA) trade show, held March 2-4, 2008, in the Direct Energy building at Toronto’s Exhibition Place.

This year’s show was an amalgamation of Toronto’s two biggest foodservice industry trade shows – Hostex and “Food and Beverage.” It was a massive spectacle of food samples, cooking demonstrations, and seminars covering every aspect of the restaurant and foodservice industries.

SOCAN was well represented at the show, which was attended by SOCAN business development representatives Craig Brockie, Andrew Turnbull and James Leacock, as well as tariff developer Steve Didunyk and customer service representative Lisa Portis. Looking to reach out to music users, SOCAN made notable contacts, including a visit from the president of the Hotel and Restaurant Suppliers association, who was very eager to build a relationship with SOCAN and educate his customers about the benefits of SOCAN licensing.

The SOCAN booth was also honoured with a visit from Canadian music legend Ronnie Hawkins, who was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by SOCAN in November of 2007. Hawkins spoke at length with Brockie and Didunyk, praising SOCAN and its employees, and recalling a number of fascinating stories about the early days of the Canadian music scene.