With thousands in attendance spanning the buy-side, supply-side, and even a number of curious consumers coming in off of the New York City streets, it was a tight squeeze as people from all over the globe gathered for the 2016 Summer Fancy Food Show at the Javits Center.
There was plenty to see, do, and, of course, eat! For those of you who didn’t make it to the floor, there were several. Two levels and a number of large rooms offered rows upon rows of companies with their latest and their greatest products on display for prospective distributors and retailers.
According to the Specialty Food Association's website, some final numbers include:
One exhibitor told the association that this show was "the busiest, most productive show we have had."
In the front of it all were the “What’s New” and “What’s Hot” showcases, with a vast range of companies and booth numbers to help you navigate and strategize your route through the massive venue.
It was hard not to spot out key patterns and trending words as I roamed the aisles, such as a large number of labels listing sensitivities and safeties for consumers with allergies or eating preferences. Many boasted a minimalist recipe with ingredients listed that were natural and easy to recognize, a comfort many shoppers tend to seek these days when choosing brands they wish to be loyal to.
Another is the continued upward climb of spice and hot. Born and raised in California, I’m used to gravitating towards, and being admired for, my willingness and fondness for all things jalapeño. But now with other peppers coming to the mainstream markets, including Calabrian pepper and even former Guinness World Record title holder the Ghost pepper, this ability has lost its bragging right and even I have found heat-heavy products that I approach with caution.
This year the Specialty Foods Association had a different approach for the announcement and presentation of the coveted Sofi Awards, having announced winners and finalists prior to the show and honoring them at the opening night event. This, I found, also helped add to the floor as winners and title holders were already aware and able to showcase that prize. For our coverage of the title winners, see our previous report.
Retailers and foodservice distributors were in abundance, with many opportunities for networking and relationships popping up both on and off the floor. Among what the association reported as more than 46,000 industry peers, it definitely ranked as one of the year’s hotter events. I was proud to be apart of such a large gathering of specialty and deli food connoisseurs and can’t wait to be reunited with you all in January at the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. Until then, stay tuned for even more coverage from the floor, and keep checking in with DeliMarket News for all the latest in the industry.
