Since its launch almost 3 years ago, the Chicagoland Food & Beverage Network has been focused on bringing together the food & beverage industry of Chicagoland. With 115 corporate members, almost 40 events in 2019, and the support and engagement of the Chicago’s amazing F&B players, CFBN has been growing quickly and filling a need for connection and innovation in the fast-changing food & beverage industry.

However, the organization has also been committed to something more – economic growth, community engagement, and inclusion across Chicagoland. In order to best serve this social impact mission, a sister organization called The Bigger Table has been formed. I’m proud to be leading this new nonprofit as its first Chairman and I believe that together we can work more effectively to have a bigger impact on the community, and better engage our employees and the communities we all serve.

Take a look at www.biggertable.org to learn more. I hope you’ll be as inspired as I am about the programs we’re building. The Collaborative Hunger Initiative is a new way to address food insecurity that taps into the power of companies collaborating in ways we’ve never seen before. The GrowChicago Seed Fund seeks to fill a gap in the funding of local women and minority food & beverage entrepreneurs. Finally, the Food & Beverage Manufacturing Workforce Development Program seeks to build a training program to connect the under- and unemployed to job opportunities in food & beverage manufacturing in the region.

It won’t be easy. But, nothing worthwhile ever is. I hope you’ll consider joining us in building a better Chicagoland. Together. 

Andy Dratt, Chief Commercial Officer, Imbibe & Chairman, The Bigger Table