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Winter Show News - 1/23/12

Moscone Center
San Francisco
January 15-17, 2012

Great Show; Microfinancing Seminar; Ed. Session Replay; Great Buzz; Share in LA, Chicago

Great Show. The Winter Fancy Food Show ended last week on a high note. Attendance broke records, and the sold-out exhibit space was the largest ever in San Francisco. According to preliminary figures, more than 18,000 buyers attended the Show. They reflected a new mix of decision makers from the top names in retail and foodservice, including more buyers from supermarkets, mass merchants and natural and organic retailers. Education session participation was up 10 percent. The signature “Start-Up” series for industry newcomers sold out, as did tasting sessions for cheese and olive oil. The NASFT facilitated 1,500 face-to-face meetings between buyers and manufacturers in Business Builders and in private meetings. “The numbers were strong, and so was the spirit of innovation and creativity that are the foundations of the specialty food industry,” says NASFT president Ann Daw. “Our industry is showing renewed confidence.”

Microfinancing 101. Join the NASFT and the California Association of Micro Enterprise Opportunity (CAMEO) to learn about microfinancing. The two-hour session is slated for Tuesday, February 7 at 3 p.m. at 18 Reasons, the not-for-profit meeting space of Bi-Rite Market. Four speakers will cover how the loans work, eligibility requirements and how to obtain them. The fee is $20. Learn more and register. Questions? Please contact Laura Lozada at llozada@nasft.org or 646.878.0148.

Too busy to learn? No problem. Education sessions from the Winter Fancy Food Show were recorded and are available for purchase as of January 30 via the Live Learning Center at the Knowledge Center on specialtyfood.com. The seminars are synchronized to PowerPoint slides, plus speaker handouts in three packages: Beginning Manufacturer, Mature Manufacturer, Retail & Trends. Those who purchased the recordings pre-Show will receive access instructions by January 30. Questions? Please contact Laura Lozada at llozada@nasft.org or 646.878.0148.

Great buzz. More than 400 press attended the Winter Show, including NPR, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, SF Chronicle, Cooking Light, Food & Wine, Vegetarian Times, Better Homes & Gardens, Specialty Food Media, Gourmet Retailer and Supermarket News, most every local TV network affiliate and important internet publications. USA Today featured numerous exhibitors. Full story.

Connect in LA and Chicago. Meet fellow members and build local networks at the NASFT’s Share Groups in Los Angeles and Chicago. The LA session is February 6, followed by a group in Chicago on March 13. Each session will be held 2 - 4 p.m. and led by a member of NASFT’s executive team. Participants are asked to bring a business question/concern to address to the group. Refreshments will be served. The fee is $20 per person. Learn more and register. Questions? Please contact Erika Sipos at esipos@nasft.org or 646.878.0140.

Find more Winter Fancy Food Show exhibitor news here.