If you believe your organization qualifies as a NAFEM member, or have questions, contact Celeste Fuchs, membership manager, NAFEM Headquarters, +1.312.821.0223; cfuchs@nafem.org to request an application.

To be eligible for Active membership, an entity must:

(a) Be organized under the laws of a North American country or be a division of such entity, and its primary business is to:

• Market and sell Approved Products in North America manufactured in a facility which is owned or co-owned, or to which manufacturing is outsourced, by the entity, or
• Market and sell Approved Products in North America which are manufactured by an entity related to it through a minimum of 50% ownership or 50% common ownership (the “Related Entity”)

(b) The entity or its Related Entity must own or have an exclusive license to use the brand shown on the product or packaging of the Approved Products which constitute its primary business under 3.2 (a).

c) Approved Products are those products listed from time-to-time on the Association’s Approved Product Category List and which have necessary agency approvals for sale in North America.

(d) An entity which presents itself or is known in the trade as a dealer, distributor, importer, jobber, manufacturers’ agent, selling representative of a foreign corporation except as specifically permitted above, or a consultant is not eligible for membership in NAFEM.

(e) An applicant must have met the requirements for membership in NAFEM for not less than one (1) year before making application for membership.

An Affiliate member shall be a company that meets all of the above eligibility requirements of Active membership, with the exception that Affiliate members are not organized under the laws of a North American country.

For purposes of both Active and Affiliate membership, the following definitions apply:

(a) Commercial Foodservice Equipment and Supplies means equipment, supplies or accessories used by the commercial or institutional foodservice industry to prepare, store, serve or manage the service of food outside of the home.

(b) Approved Products are Commercial Foodservice Equipment and Supplies listed on the NAFEM Approved Product Category (APC) List, as amended from time-to-time, which have received any and all necessary agency approvals necessary for sale in the North American country in which they are being sold.

Associate membership is open to companies providing products and services to assist NAFEM members in doing business in nine (9) categories including:

Education and Training Providers – companies that teach, facilitate or design curriculum for foodservice industry professionals. Associate members in this category have the opportunity to purchase exhibit space at The NAFEM Show.

Employment Recruiters – companies seeking to match candidates to foodservice industry job openings.

Export Management Companies – companies that provide consulting/distribution services to f oodservice equipment and supplies manufacturers for distribution outside North America.

Food Safety Product Manufacturers – companies that manufacture products to promote food safety and food safety practices in foodservice operations. Associate members in this category have the opportunity to purchase exhibit space at The NAFEM Show.

Foodservice Product Design, Development & Engineering Firms – companies that provide creative thinking, engineering and prototype skills for new foodservice equipment products.

Marketing & Communications Service Providers – companies that design, place and implement communications, public relations, advertising, product packaging, image programs, branding programs, product marketing programs or literature/point-of-sale fulfillment houses for foodservice equipment and supplies manufacturers.

Systems/Technology Providers – companies that supply hardware, software and NAFEM data protocol-compliant products to the foodservice industry, including financial/accounting, word processing, security, database management, lead retrieval, CRM solution software, telecommunications hardware and software, computer hardware (servers, computers), ERP systems and general business systems. Associate members in this category have the opportunity to purchase exhibit space at The NAFEM Show.

Third-Party Certification Organizations/Utility Organizations – companies that provide independent, third-party certification of foodservice industry products/services, or foodservice industry utility providers. Associate members in this category have the opportunity to purchase exhibit space at The NAFEM Show.

Trade Publications – companies that produce trade publications, buyer’s guides and journals and are eligible for membership by publication title only. Associate members in this category have the opportunity to purchase exhibit space at The NAFEM Show.

• Listing on the NAFEM Web site in the Associate Member Directory
• One (1) registration (registration includes spouse/guest) to the NAFEM Annual Meeting & Management Workshop
• One (1) free tabletop exhibit at the NAFEM Annual Meeting & Management Workshop
• Can register to attend NAFEM conferences at Associate or NAFEM-member rates
• Can participate and vote as a member of a NAFEM committee

Note: Not more than 20% of any NAFEM committee shall be Associate members.

Dues: $2,500 annually (calendar year)

For further information on Associate membership or to request an application, contact NAFEM headquarters +1.312.821.0201 or info@nafem.org.