One of the hottest tickets in NYC this summer was to the Summer Fancy Food event being held at the Jacob Javits Center. The specialty food and beverage event took over the city from June 23 - June 25 and brought together thousands of buyers, brokers, distributors, makers, and other industry members under one roof. The WholeFoods Magazine team was in attendance, making the rounds on the showroom floors observing the latest trends and stand-out products from this year's exhibition.
Trending Products: Specialty Coffees, Honeys, Sauces & More!
Some of the product categories "having a moment" at this year's event included infused coffees, healthy alternative snacks, honeys, and sauces... lots of sauces! Here's a roundup of some products to be on the lookout for this season.
Ceybon AF: A line of mushroom-infused wellness cocktails, elixirs, and aperitifs made in a local third-generation Napa winery. The aperitifs are gluten-free with 6g of sugar from low-glycemic agave syrup.
Kokada Coconut Spread: A woman-owned, minority-owned company creating organic and natural ingredient spreads that are peanut-free, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free.
Vicus Water: Natural mineral water sourced from a Canadian spring, VICUS is made through a crystalline restructuring process to recreate the water clusters that happen naturally.
Tonnino: Sustainable tuna products cooked on the bone offering higher Omega 3 and protein benefits.
Curious Elixirs: Handmade, alcohol-free craft cocktails infused with adaptogens and containing no refined sugar.
Vevan Foods: Cheese manufacturer offering vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, lactose-free, non-GMO, preservative-free, soy-free cheeses with probiotics.
Realm Water: From the springs in Fort Ann, NY, this high pH, low mineral water features elevated alkalinity for enhanced absorption and a clean, fresh taste.
Copper Moon Coffee: Family-owned, USDA Organic Certified, OU Kosher Certified roastery providing premium sourced and sustainably grown Arabica bean coffee from farmers across the globe.
Black Mamba Hot Chili Sauces: Manufacturers of good-for-you, good-for-the-earth, and good for the communities they work with chili sauce. Their product line uses organically grown ingredients and regenerative agriculture methods while providing local farmers with a sustainable income.
Clipper Teas: Started in 1984, this tea company uses plant-based, biodegradable, non-GMO, unbleached tea bags to offer customers a full line of black tea, green tea, white tea, and other flavors.
Diggables Buckwheat Puffs: A product of regenerative agriculture and sourced from family farms in Maine, these puffed snacks are gluten free, 100% whole grain, sustainable, and available in three unique flavors.
Doro: Korean street food brand offering easy to make meals including Tteokbokki Cheesy Korean Rice Cakes, Mushroom Udon Stir-Fry, and Garlic Udon Stir-Fry.
Whipnotic: Keto-friendly, gluten-free, all-natural fruit juice infused whipped cream that can be used for everything from coffee to cocktails.
Discussions & Speakers
Attendees were treated to several speaking engagements featuring special industry guests weighing in on current affairs and providing insights on trending topics. Some of the spotlight events included:
- Exploring AI's Impact on the Food and Beverage Space: Oisin Hanrahan, Co-founder and CEO at Keychain and Mitchell Madoff, Senior Vice President of Private Label and Supply Chain at Keychain, tackled the topic of AI within the food and beverage industry and how it has already begun to transform the landscape.
- Fireside Chat with Top Chef Host Kristen Kish: Author and current host of hit tv series Top Chef, Chef Kristen Kish, sat down with Delish editor, Joanna Saltz, to share views on the current trends in foodservice, innovation in food, the exploration of local flavors, and talk all things cuisine.
- Multicultural Merchandising in the Modern Grocery Landscape: Hosted by the National Grocers Association, a this session Michelle Mendoza, VP of Marketing and Customer Experience at Associated Supermarket Group, Gladys Marquez, Executive Director at El Rio Grande Latin Market, and William Duran Co-Founder at Food Garden Market discussed multicultural merchandising within today's grocery stores.
- Influencer Impact: Stocking Your Store with Trendsetting Products: Content Creator Rosalynn Daniels, Pit Master at Hey Grill Hey Susie Bulloch, CEO of Tastemaker Conference Abbey Rodriguez, CEO & Founder of Feel Good Foodie Yumna Jawad, and Toni Okamoto, Founder of Plant-Based on a Budget, enlightened guests to the role influencers play forming and driving product demand.
- Unlocking Success: Empowering Small Brands to Win Through Data: A discussion on the competitive landscape of consumer-packaged goods and how data has evened the playing field. Guest speakers included Nona Lim Founder & CEO of NONA LIM, Kathy Yuh VP of VMG Partners, Le'Spencer Walker Director of the Target Accelerators: Activations and Growth at Target Corporation, and Edricco Reina, Managing Director, Head of Financial and Innovation Services at SPINS.
Pavilions: Plant-Based, Global Flavors & More!
A main draw of the show is its pavilions. Guests can easily explore products from different countries and different industry segments by visiting the pavilion that interest them most. This year the list of pavilions included, plant-based, bakery, beverage, snacks and sweets, and countries like Egypt, China, India, Portugal, and Thailand to name a few.
