After a one-year hiatus, the Winter Fancy Food Show is returning to its West Coast home in San Francisco, where it has been held since 1995. The show will take place Jan. 18-20, 2009, at the Moscone Center. Registration is now open at www.fancyfoodshows.com.

The 34th Winter Fancy Food Show is on pace to be the largest yet. There will be 1,500 exhibitors representing 50 countries, featuring tens of thousands of specialty foods, including natural and organic products, cheese, olive oil, spices, tea, chocolate and ethnic specialties.

"We are glad to be back in San Francisco, home to such a vibrant market for our members' products, and a wonderful showcase for culinary trends," says Ann Daw, president of the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade, Inc. (NASFT), the show's owner. Last year's show was held in San Diego.

Show highlights include:
• 80,000 specialty food and beverage products from around the world
• New ingredients and ideas for chefs and foodservice professionals
• 50 countries represented
• 17,000+ attendees, including retailers, chefs, restaurateurs and journalists
• 22 seminars, workshops and tasting sessions
• What's New, What's Hot! featuring new products, gift ideas, and natural and organics
• Business Builders 1-to-1, a program matching buyers to suppliers
• Insider tours of San Francisco's specialty markets
• sofi™ Award showcase with 33 gold-winning products

To register, and for more information, please go to www.fancyfoodshows.com. Press is encouraged to register online. Press registration begins Oct. 6.

The NASFT is a not-for-profit trade association established in 1952 to foster trade, commerce and interest in the specialty food industry. Today, there are more than 2,945 member companies throughout the United States and abroad. For more information on the NASFT and its Fancy Food Shows, go to www.specialtyfood.com.