Catersource
Catersource (rebranded as Cater+Event) is a B2B media and events platform serving catering and event professionals in the United States, producing editorial content, industry newsletters, the ACE awards program, and annual conferences including Catersource + The Special Event and Art of Catering Food.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Catersource does
Catersource, now operating as Cater+Event, is a B2B media and events platform serving catering and event professionals in the United States. Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Minneapolis, the company produces industry content, newsletters, and recognition programs, and operates a portfolio of conferences including the flagship Catersource + The Special Event (held March 2–5, 2026 at the Los Angeles Convention Center with 150+ educational sessions, a tradeshow floor, and networking) and the specialized Art of Catering Food event (scheduled for August 10–11, 2026 in Chicago). The company also runs the ACE (Awards for Catering Excellence) program, which recognizes innovation and execution across the catering industry.
The underlying technology is a content publishing platform — supported by Informa's Contentstack CMS — delivering categorized editorial across Event Management, Business Operations, Event Trends & Styles, and Food & Beverage, alongside a free email newsletter and advertiser pages hosted through Informa Connect. There are no disclosed proprietary AI, ML, or data products, no patents, and no API/SDK surface; the platform is fundamentally a media/events asset rather than a technology product.
Revenue mechanics are typical of trade media: (1) conference and event registration fees with annual billing and early-bird discounting ($150–$200 tiers observed for 2026 events), (2) advertising and sponsorship sold to exhibitors and brand partners via the Informa Connect advertiser page, and (3) content and newsletter distribution that supports audience monetization. The company is a business unit inside the Informa Connect Division of Informa PLC (LSE-listed, registered in England and Wales), which provides global distribution and event infrastructure. Customer segmentation is vertical — catering operators, event planners, and hospitality professionals — with no disclosed enterprise concentration.
Catersource firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Catersource
- Legal name
- Informa PLC
- Website
- https://catersource.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Catersource (rebranded as Cater+Event) is a B2B media and events platform serving catering and event professionals in the United States, producing editorial content, industry newsletters, the ACE awards program, and annual conferences including Catersource + The Special Event and Art of Catering Food.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Catersource industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Trade Media and Conferences
- NAICS
- Periodical Publishers (51312), Periodical Publishers (513120), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Exhibition & Trade Show Catering (Show Floor Concessions, Exhibitor Hospitality) (THAHAKAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Corporate & Business Event Catering (THAHAKAA)
Keywords
Where Catersource is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Catersource business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Advertising and Sponsorships: The platform offers advertising opportunities and maintains an advertiser page through Informa Connect, serving the catering and events industry B2B market.
- Content and Newsletter Subscriptions: Free newsletter subscription providing industry insights and essential content to catering professionals, with premium content and resources available through the platform.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Early registration pricing for Catersource + The Special Event 2026 |
| Subscription | Annual | Art of Catering Food 2026 conference pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Catersource product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Catersource (now operating as Cater+Event) publishes trade magazines and a digital content platform covering the catering and events industry, and produces large-scale industry conferences and trade shows including Catersource + The Special Event and Art of Catering Food. Its offerings combine editorial content, newsletters, educational programming, and live events to serve catering and event professionals, with sponsorship and registration fees as primary commercial drivers.
Product overview
Cater + Event (formerly Catersource) is a media publishing platform for the catering and events industry. The company produces editorial content including news articles, industry insights, trend reports, and educational resources covering topics such as event management, business operations, food and beverage, event types, and sustainability. The platform operates under Informa Connect Division of Informa PLC and hosts industry conferences including the annual Cater+Event and Art of Catering Food events.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cater+Event media and publishing platform Trade media and digital publishing platform for the catering and events industry, providing news articles, industry insights, trend reports, recipes, and educational resources covering event management, business operations, food and beverage, and event trends for catering and event professionals.
- Catersource + The Special Event 2026 conference and trade show Flagship annual conference and trade show for the catering and special events industries, featuring keynote speakers, 150+ educational sessions, venue tours, an exhibitor tradeshow, and networking activities, targeted at catering and event professionals.
- Art of Catering Food 2026 conference Smaller specialized conference for catering professionals, focused on food and culinary innovation within catering, including industry sessions and networking.
- ACE Awards (Awards for Catering Excellence) Annual industry awards program recognizing excellence in catering, including categories such as Catered Micro Event of the Year, open to catering professionals and companies.
- Cater+Event email newsletter subscription Free email newsletter delivering latest insights and essential content from the catering and events industry to subscribed professionals.
Companies that use Catersource
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Catersource technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Catersource partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- The Special EventcoreJoint branded event Catersource + The Special Event is the flagship annual conference combining catering and special events industries. The 2026 edition took place March 2-5, 2026 at Los Angeles Convention Center featuring keynote speakers, 150+ educational sessions, tradeshow, and networking activities.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Catersource competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BizBash: B2B trade media brand covering event planning, venues, and catering industry trends. Directly comparable as an event-industry publication with original editorial, awards, and conferences serving the same professional buyer persona as Cater+Event.
- Special Events Magazine: Long-running trade publication and awards body for the special events industry. Comparable as a Catersource/The Special Event-vertical peer running editorial content plus awards (Gala Awards) for caterers and event professionals.
- IMEX Group: Operates major MICE trade shows (IMEX America, IMEX Frankfurt) for the meetings and events industry. Comparable as a B2B events organizer for the same MICE buyer set, with trade show floors, education programs, and hosted-buyer networks.
- Trade Show News Network (TSNN): Trade show industry media brand providing news, calendars, and rankings for exhibitions globally. Comparable as a trade-show-focused media platform supporting exhibition organizers and exhibitors—overlapping with Catersource's tradeshow-floor audience.
- Exhibitor Magazine: Trade publication and educational resource for trade show exhibitors and event marketers. Comparable as a B2B media brand targeting the same trade show and event-marketing buyer base that anchors Catersource's exhibitor hall.
Others
- Meeting Professionals International (MPI): Global association for meeting and event professionals, running the WEC (World Education Congress) and certification programs. Comparable as a community-building and education-delivery organization for the same events professional audience, though structured as a non-profit association rather than a commercial media brand.
- Convention Management Association (PCMA): Industry association for business events strategists and meeting professionals, running Convening Leaders and education programming. Comparable as a community-and-education leader serving the same MICE/catering professional audience, though operating as a non-profit membership body rather than a commercial trade media brand.
Broad incumbents
- Northstar Meetings Group: Publisher of multiple MICE trade titles (Successful Meetings, Meetings & Conventions, Incentive) serving meetings and incentive travel planners. Comparable as a broader portfolio incumbent in the same MICE media space as Cater+Event.
- Informa Markets / Informa Connect (parent division): Parent division operating hundreds of B2B exhibitions and conferences across industries. Comparable as the broader incumbent portfolio within which Catersource/Cater+Event operates, providing shared infrastructure, audience, and sponsorship capabilities.
Emerging players
- Event Industry News: Digital-first news and resource platform for the global events industry. Comparable as a content/media competitor for catering and event professional audiences, with a primarily digital delivery model overlapping with Cater+Event's content channels.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Catersource social profiles
Digital presenceCatersource financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Catersource leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Catersource funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Catersource M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Catersource
What does Catersource do?
Catersource (now operating as Cater+Event) publishes trade magazines and a digital content platform covering the catering and events industry, and produces large-scale industry conferences and trade shows including Catersource + The Special Event and Art of Catering Food. Its offerings combine editorial content, newsletters, educational programming, and live events to serve catering and event professionals, with sponsorship and registration fees as primary commercial drivers.
Is Catersource a public or private company?
Catersource is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Catersource founded?
Catersource was founded in 1992. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Catersource based?
Catersource is headquartered in Minneapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Catersource make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Advertising and Sponsorships are the primary driver. The others are content and Newsletter Subscriptions.
Who are Catersource's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BizBash, Special Events Magazine, IMEX Group, Trade Show News Network (TSNN) and Exhibitor Magazine. Others are Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and Convention Management Association (PCMA). Broad incumbents are Northstar Meetings Group and Informa Markets / Informa Connect (parent division). Event Industry News is listed as an emerging player.
Does Catersource have an API?
No public API is recorded for Catersource.
What industry is Catersource in?
Catersource's product category is Trade Media and Conferences. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHAKAH, Exhibition & Trade Show Catering (Show Floor Concessions, Exhibitor Hospitality), with a secondary code of THAHAKAA, Corporate & Business Event Catering. Its NAICS code is 51312 and its SIC code is 2721.