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Show Attractions and Experiences

Food is the great connector. At Winter FancyFaire*, food will bring participants together, professionally and socially, in traditional and unstructured settings. At the First show of a new year in food, we’re creating new spaces for conversations, problem-solving, and inspiration.


Explore the Floorplan

Expanded Experiences

Onsite Attractions

First Taste Table

Need to escape the hustle and bustle of the Exhibit Hall? Book a seating. This new setting invites buyers and tastemakers to enjoy fun conversations and an intimate tasting flight of sofi Award finalists.

Discovery Demos

Housed within the Discovery Point area, this walkable showcase puts you in conversation with SFA members, research partners, and analysts about trends like ingredient technology, wellness 3.0, sustainability, and more. Encounter new concepts, trends, and techniques shaping the industry.

Discovery Kitchen

Housed within the Discovery Point area, get hands on in this interactive experience that showcases the possibilities of specialty food products, brings new concepts and techniques to life, and incorporates prominent West Coast chefs, products, and ideas.

sofi Awards Ceremony

Be the First to see and sample the innovative 2026 sofi Award winners, as we reveal the 25 Gold Award winners and 5 Grand Honors Award winners, including Products of the Year and the first-ever Timeless Taste Award. 

Spotlight Shoppe

See exhibitor products in a new light. In this retail-inspired discovery zone, browse by category or let your eyes guide you to inspired packaging and products your customers want to see on your shelves.
Explore Opportunities

Debut District and Category Pavilions

Find what you’re looking for in curated pavilions. Debut District is home to the newest of the new, from product debuts to startup brands. In pavilions like Beverage or Deli, you can sample and compare hundreds of relevant products.

Good Food Mercantile

The values-driven one-day Mercantile, produced by the Good Food Foundation, will co-locate with Winter FancyFaire* on Sunday, January 11, providing attendees with seamless access to high-quality products and responsible producers aligned with modern consumer values.

  

Expanded Experiences

Culture in Common Event

Celebrate San Diego’s food culture at The Soap Factory in Barrio Logan with local chefs, member products, artisan activations, and opportunities to give back. Connect with peers and partners in a night dedicated to good food and shared values.

Campus Tasting Trail

Experience the local culture and cuisine as SFA blends the creativity and heritage of local tastemakers with the innovation of our member companies. Restaurants and retailers in nearby San Diego neighborhoods will feature SFA member products in menu items and as shopping accoutrements. 


Specific restaurants and featured products will be announced in the fall. Contact your SFA Sales Rep if you are interested in having your product featured. 

Buyer Welcome Reception

On Saturday evening, SFA will host buyer attendees for an elevated gathering at the San Diego Wine & Culinary Center. Delicious bites from Winter FancyFaire* exhibitors, cocktails and mocktails, and great conversation will be served. 

Please note: invite-only event.

Explore The Floorplan


Expert-Led Sessions Like:

  • Understanding the Gen Alpha Consumer
  • How We’ll Eat in 2126: A Food Futurists Panel
  • What Brands and Retailers Need to Know About Delivery on Demand
  • The Secret Sauce for Successful Founder/CEO Relationships
  • Lessons in Scaling from Incubators and Shared Kitchens
  • Beyond Venture Capital: Funding Your Business in 2026

Speakers Like

  • Founder and CEO of The Food Corridor, which connects food entrepreneurs with commercial kitchen space and moderates the Network for Incubator and Commissary Kitchens.

  • Professional food developer leading the marketing, food trend tracking, and consumer research functions at Mattson, North America's largest independent developer of new foods and beverages.

  • A 35-year CPG industry veteran, a contrarian, systems thinker, voracious learner, and a misplaced college professor. And it's these "quirks" that have now become his calling: to educate, equip, and empower entrepreneurial leaders and their teams as a high-performance coach, advisor, and board member. As founder of TIG Brands, he champions Tardigrades: resilient, capital-efficient businesses built to last.
     

  • Trends expert for food, menu, and restaurant concepts; contributor to leading industry publications like Restaurant Business and Nation’s Restaurant News.

  • Founder and editor in chief at The Spoon; founder of the Smart Kitchen Summit and the CES Food Tech Conference. 

  • Founder and CEO of Biena Snacks, the #1 brand in plant-based protein snacks nationally. As a recognized business leader, Poorvi has been featured as a “Rising Star” CEO among Inc. 5000 honorees and named one of FoodNavigator USA’s “Entrepreneurs to Watch.”
First-to-market opportunities • First-look innovations • First-rate connections

And your First taste of the future of specialty food

Why Attend? Why Exhibit?