News Releases

California Specialty Food in Spotlight at Winter Fancy Food Show
More than 425 Golden State Companies to Present Latest Products

NEW YORK (January 6, 2016) – California specialty food producers will be front and center at the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco, with more exhibitors than any other state. Cayenne-infused peanut butter from Los Angeles, wild herb tea and spice blends grown in the San Joaquin Valley, and a Sacramento-based pomegranate-mint beverage will all be on display at the largest marketplace devoted exclusively to specialty food and beverages on the West Coast.

The Winter Fancy Food Show takes place Jan. 17-19, 2016, at Moscone Center. Now in its 41st year, the show features 15,000 exhibitors from across the U.S. and around the world.

California’s contingent includes 30 specialty food producers making their show debut, and hundreds of new products from established and emerging food entrepreneurs. The next largest state showings are from New York, followed by New Jersey, Washington and Illinois.  More than 18,000 buyers from top names in retailing and restaurants are expected to attend the event to discover the products and trends for their menus and stores for the coming year.

“With everything from fermented vegetables to new twists on condiments, our California exhibitors are reinforcing the state’s reputation as a leader in food innovation. They are setting the pace for the fast-changing ways in which we produce, sell, and consume food,” says Laura Santella-Saccone, chief marketing officer for the Specialty Food Association, owner and producer of the Winter Fancy Food Show.

Below is a sampling of California exhibitors:

  • Genuine Grub, Cupertino – spicy pickled vegetables
  • Little Red Dot Kitchen, San Jose – Asian-style barbequed meat snacks
  • Glyka Sweets, San Rafael – Greek phyllo pastries and cookies
  • Sonomic Almost Vinegar, Petaluma – vinegar alternative made with grapes
  • Spread the Love, Los Angeles – infused nut butters
  • Lotus Foods, Richmond – millet and brown rice ramen

Savor California, a show exhibitor, brings together 30 niche producers, including:

  • Urban Foods, Sacramento – superfood snacks filled with grains, fruits and seeds
  • Arawak Farm, Point Richmond – spicy American Indian-inspired sauces and rubs
  • Hey Boo, San Francisco – coconut jams, sauces and candies
  • The Art of Caramel, Pasadena – grown-up flavors of caramel corn
  • Mamie’s Pies, San Rafael – unbaked New England-style pies

Full Exhibitor List

Press Registration
The Fancy Food Show is a trade-only event. The Specialty Food Association provides complimentary press badges to qualified media. Learn more and register.

About the Specialty Food Association
The Specialty Food Association is a thriving community of food artisans, importers and entrepreneurs. Established in 1952 in New York, the not-for-profit trade association provides its 3,000 members in the U.S. and abroad the tools, knowledge and connections to champion and nurture their companies in an ever-evolving marketplace. The Association owns and produces the Winter and Summer Fancy Food Shows, and presents the sofi™ Awards honoring excellence in specialty food. Learn more at specialtyfood.com.

Media Contacts:
Louise Kramer, Communications Director, 646-878-0130, lkramer@specialtyfood.com

(In California) Tanya Henry, Public Relations Consultant, tanyahenry@comcast.net, 415.225.2146

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