Best in Show

            “The show, both the summer and the winter OR market, is really the catalyst for everything that happens for the next six months. So basically this show helps lay out what’s going to happen for us for the next six months,” he says.

            For Von Lunen, connections and donations are the end goal. He’s laying the groundwork for future Outdoor Retailer shows and making sure companies understand the value of the donations as charitable giving and publicity. He’s also hoping make businesses realize they can just ship out a couple of pallets of donated goods along with everything they already bring to the show.

            Sorensen says her objective is to introduce their new bottle. Because it’s a product so specifically targeted toward the outdoor market, the company put a lot of work into making sure the launch would go well. She says many athletes already use and like the BlenderBottle, but having greater name recognition in the community will help.

            Whatever the aim, or time spent getting there, Utah businesses worked hard to get ready for the Outdoor Retailer Winter Show. Now they hope the hard work pays off throughout the year.