Last week, our team had the pleasure of attending the 65th Annual Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City at the Javits Center. The three-day show, sponsored by Specialty Food Association, is the largest specialty food industry event in North America and provides vendors an opportunity to showcase their innovative products and connect with distributors and retailers from all over the world.
We took this opportunity to do some research on snack and beverage trends for the year and to create new relationships with vendors to bring awesome products to our customers. Here’s an inside look at the 2019 Summer Fancy Food Show and what to take away.
Tips for Attendees
First and foremost, comfortable walking shoes are a must. With 218,000 square feet of exhibitor space divided over three floors, walking around the Javits Center all day will certainly help you burn off those calories from all the delicious food you’re sampling!
Speaking of food, pace yourself! With thousands of exhibitors and a seemingly endless amount of food and beverages to sample, it’s easy to fill up in the first ten minutes. Our advice: pick and choose carefully so you still have room for the second floor (aka, home to Italian meats and cheeses!)
Last but not least, be adventurous. With numerous booths showcasing products that may seem outside of your comfort zone, half the fun is trying new things! Spicy ice cream, pickled watermelon and dried fruit rinds were a few snacks we tried that were pleasant surprises.
sofi Award Winners
The Specialty Food Association’s sofi Awards honor brands that not only taste great, but are true innovators in their respective categories. Dona Chai took home the New Product sofi Award in the Ready-to-Drink Cold Beverage Category with their Turmeric Honeybush Spice Soda. This product recognizes consumer demand for sweet, bubbly beverages with natural ingredients and flavorful flair.
Noosh Brands took home the gold in the Savory Snack category with their Keto Friendly Coffee Flavored Almond Butter. Conveniently stored in grab-and-go packaging, Noosh succeeded in creating a delicious product that appeals to one of America’s largest diet trends.
Kathie’s Kitchen took gourmet pumpkin seeds and sprinkled them with mouthwatering flavors to create SuperSeedz. The tasty result won them the Gold sofi Award in the Sweet Snack category. SuperSeedz are rich in protein and magnesium, made with natural ingredients and are Top 8 Allergen free!
Key Takeaways
The 2019 Summer Fancy Food Show was home to miles of aisles featuring everything from ready-to-drink coffee, tea and cold beverages, on-tap kombucha and cold brew, jerky and meat snacks, snacking cheeses, sauces, specialty chocolates, charcuterie, prepared foods and more.
We found even more of a rise in gluten-free and plant-based everything, allowing those with dietary restrictions to enjoy foods they never thought possible. Dairy alternatives like oat milk, coconut milk and almond milk found their way into products like cold brew, yogurt, ice cream and more.
The Summer Fancy Food Show is one of the best ways to find new, innovative products in our industry and create lasting relationships with vendors to better serve our customers. You never know which brands are going to gain traction and become household names!
