The Specialty Food Association (SFA) brought together more than 32,000 industry professionals June 29-July 1 for the 69th Summer Fancy Food Show at the Javits Center in New York City.
Attendee registration jumped 14 percent over 2024, to about 13,000, including about 8,100 buyers, a 9 percent increase. As specialty food and beverage products grow in relevance for retail and foodservice, SFA expanded the square footage of the show to some 340,000 square feet, including the River Pavilion, opened for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over three days, 2,492 domestic and global food and beverage manufacturers showcased the spectrum of innovative specialty products that are key to customer interest and loyalty in today’s food industry.
“The Summer Fancy Food Show is the Specialty Food Association’s marquee event, and this year’s event showed that the appetite for specialty foods is growing even amid economic uncertainty,” said SFA President Bill Lynch.
“We saw notable increases in attendance from retail buyers, investors, foodservice and press, who were eager to meet the passionate people behind the brands and experience the latest innovations in specialty foods, a market that’s projected to hit $231 billion in 2025.”
Show highlights included:
- Exhibitors from 59 countries and six continents, with 24 international pavilions, including the show’s partner country, Italy, and new entrants Estonia and Pakistan;
- Nearly 1,000 new products (983), a 90 percent increase from 2024; 378 first-time exhibitors; and 90 incubator and accelerator brands. Most of these could be found in Debut District;
- State and regional pavilions including Brooklyn, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, SUSTA, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vermont and Virginia;
- The first Académie Culinaire de France’s North America Pastry Competition Championship, presided over by Chef Dominique Ansel. Networking opportunities included the Buyer Welcome Reception, New Member Party and SFA People Awards Ceremony, hosted by Jeni Britton and lauding the honorees of the SFA Leadership Awards, Hall of Fame and Lifetime Achievement Awards;
- More than 30 informative sessions from thought leaders. Topics included financing, tariffs, alternative distribution methods, economic uncertainty and foodservice trends;
- Insight into emerging trends in specialty food, courtesy of the SFA Trendspotter Panel: Trends on their radar included “change, one bite at a time” (how companies are creating products to maintain smaller supply chains), and the continued prominence of “global convenience;” and
- Food rescue and donation – The SFA operates an Exhibitor Food Donation Program in partnership with City Harvest to ensure that unused food is provided to New Yorkers in need. This year, 84,015 pounds on 99 pallets of specialty food were donated by SFA members.
SFA’s next trade show is the new Winter FancyFaire*, set for Jan. 11-13 in San Diego, California, where the first specialty food Trend of the Year will be unveiled.