The 37th Winter Fancy Food Show is on track to be the largest ever. Amid healthy demand for specialty food, more than 17,000 buyers from across the U.S. and around the world are expected to attend the show, the largest marketplace devoted exclusively to specialty foods and beverages on the West Coast.
The show will take place Jan. 15 – 17 at Moscone Center in San Francisco.
Specialty food manufacturers, importers and entrepreneurs from more than 35 countries will present the latest in chocolate, cheese, olive oil, spices, ethnic specialties and natural and organic products. There will be 80,000 products on display.
International offerings will include new twists on tea from India, quinoa from Peru and meats from Poland. Italy returns with the largest international pavilion, the Flanders region of Belgium makes its first show appearance, and Japan and China will present a wide array of foods. There’s also a pavilion of 30 emerging food entrepreneurs in a special NASFT program for start-ups.American cheese makers and craft brewers will be featured in nearby pavilions from the American Cheese Society and the Brewers Association.
The 22 seminars and workshops include how-to sessions for both start-up and established entrepreneurs. Seminars include: The Basics: The Business of Specialty Foods, Top 10 Mistakes a Beginning Manufacturer Makes, and Responsible Sourcing. Tastings include olive oil, specialty salts and pepper and artisan cheeses. Tours of San Francisco food artisans and trend-setting retailers are also available.
At the end of the show, exhibitors plan to donate food to area food pantries served by Feed the Hungry, an anti-hunger organization. Last year’s donation reached 1,700 people.
For more information, visit www.fancyfoodshows.com.