2010 Winter Fancy Food Show Post-Show Report

Positive Momentum at the 35th Winter Show

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The 35th Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco was a big success! The event, held Jan. 17 – 19 at Moscone Center, drew the largest crowd of any Winter Show in the past five years. Attendance jumped 9 percent above 2009, with 16,780 buyers and specialty food industry professionals from around the world looking for new products, new ideas, and new momentum.

Nearly 190,000 square feet of exhibit space was filled with 80,000 specialty foods and beverages from across the U.S. and 45-plus countries, including Australia, Italy, Korea, Peru and Tunisia.

“The mood was very positive,” says Ann Daw, president of the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade, the show's owner. There is clearly positive momentum in our industry as consumers start to spend again on distinctive foods and beverages that add enjoyment to their meals.”

Programs & Events

The show created great buzz on NASFT’s social media sites on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook and YouTube Channel and offical NASFT blog. Be sure to check out the conversations, and add your own thoughts to the continuing discussions about Fancy Food! Show Programs: Record Participation Education program attendance rose an impressive 47% above last year with sold-out sessions including Fancy Food Show signature workshops on starting a new specialty food company, branding and more. There were 19 sessions, including market tours and a special tasting of miso and natto, soy-based foods, sponsored by JETRO, the Japanese External Trade Organization, San Francisco, and a seminar on comfort food cravings for different age groups.

• The new NASFT Social Media Lounge debuted at the Show. The Lounge featured
      live streaming video interviews with exhibiting companies and one-on-one training
      on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and more.
• New Brands on the Shelf, a sold out pavilion with sampling from 30 emerging food
      entrepreneurs in the NASFT’s Member Candidate program.
• sofi™ Awards showcase of the outstanding products of the year, with all
      34 Gold Winners.
• Business Builders 1-to-1, a program matching buyers to suppliers that
      had record attendance.
• Craft beers from across the U.S. in new pavilion from Brewer’s Association.
• What’s New, What’s Hot! This showcase featured hundreds of products following the
      hottest trends in new products, gift ideas, and natural and organics.
• Press Office: More than 450 journalists from TV, radio, newspapers, magazines and
      web publications picked up their badges, mapped out their show route and stopped in
      through-out the event to review their finds and look at exhibitor press kits.
• Free pre-show webinars “How to Succeed at the Winter Fancy Food Show” and
      “Social Media 101” drew big audiences.

80,000 Innovative Products on Display

Attendees sought hot new products, emerging trends, best-in-class classics, natural and organics, holiday gift ideas and emerging ethnic flavors. Our 1,300 exhibitors delivered. They presented the world’s finest foods and beverages, including chocolate, cheese, olive oil, spices, snack foods, tea, and ethnic specialties. Trends that generated buzz included coconut snacks and beverages, gluten-free products, pickled items like kimchi, bacon flavored confections, Indian sauces, exotic citrus, and snacks for grownups, such as spicy popcorn and baked potato chips with jalapeno. With 33 categories, there is something to tempt every buyer.

Click here to review the companies that exhibited in the Winter Show and use our Product Finder to search by category,
                                       geography and other criteria.

In the News

We welcomed reporters from FOX News, NBC-TV, CBS radio, and public radio KQED. FOX featured close to 20 exhibitors in four live segments and a great wrap-up. Plus there were journalists from the top names in food writing across all media, including Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, Saveur, Consumer Reports, the San Francisco Chronicle, Gourmet News, Gourmet Retailer, CHOW and AOL Food. 

Here’s a sampling of media coverage from big names, plus new voices in the blogosphere, which together reached more than 10 million readers: 

• San Francisco Chronicle: In a Cold Economy,
      Fancy Food Is Hot

• NBC Bay Area: Fancy Food On Parade

• Trade Show Week: Despite Slow Economy, Shows Post Gains

• The Daily Beast: 10 Food Trends for 2010

• Cooking with Amy: Fancy Food Show Winter 2010 My Favorite Things

• SF Weekly: Five Local Gems from the Fancy Food Show

• What’s Cooking Blog: Funny Products at the SF Fancy Food Show

• Drink of the Week: 2010 NASFT Winter Fancy Food Show – San Francisco

• Eat More Heat: NASFT Fancy Food Show Day One Wrap Up

Strong Key Buyer Presence

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Some of the most important names in retailing attended the show, including Whole Foods, Costco, Winn-Dixie, Amazon, Harry and David and Macy’s in addition to countless regional specialty retailers, and even Alaska Airlines.

Attendees From Around the World

Sixty-four countries and regions were represented at the Winter Show. International attendees rely on the three-day event to source the best of the U.S., but also to spot trends from the dozens of other countries whose displays fill the exhibit halls. Attendees hailed from:

Aruba Australia Austria Barbados Belgium Brazil Canada Chile China Colombia Costa Rica Croatia Denmark Dominican Republic Egypt El Salvador England

France Gambia Germany Greece Guatemala Haiti Honduras Hong Kong India Ireland Israel Italy Japan Jordan Macedonia Mexico

Mongolia Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nigeria Northern Marina Islands Pakistan Peru Philippines Polan d Russia San Marino Singapore South Africa South Korea Spain Sweden

Switzerland Taiwan Thailand Tunisia Turkey Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uzbekistan Venezuela Vietnam West Bank

Happy & Motivated Buyers

The results were impressive from the NASFT’s post-show survey of attendees. Highlights include:

• 92% of all Show attendees either authorize or recommend purchasing decisions.
• 93% of attendees said the Winter Fancy Food Show met or exceeded their expectations.
• 80% said there’s a high likelihood that they will attend the Show again.
• 73% attended the Show to sample new products. 
• 65% attended to monitor the latest industry trends and stay up to date.

Category	2010	2009	Percentage Change
Retail	5,494	5,015	+9.5%
Specialty	1,324	1,163	+13.8%
Supermarket	359	325	+10.5%
Foodservice	2,940	2,197	+33.8%
Distributors	1,702	1,526	+11.5%
Importers/exporters	632	588	+7.5%