Fancy Foods Show Going on Now in NYC

The “Taste NY Pavilion” has been expanded at the 2016 Specialty Food Association’s Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City.  

This is the fourth year Taste NY has participated in the food show. This year, more than 50 New York state food and beverage companies will sample products in the Pavilion, while some 275 additional New York state companies will exhibit at this year’s overall show. 

Now in its 62nd year, the Summer Fancy Food Show is the largest specialty food trade event in North America and runs from June 26 - 28 at Javits Center.

 

“The Summer Fancy Food Show, which brings together thousands of top industry professionals from all across the globe, is a tremendous opportunity to showcase some of New York’s finest agricultural products," said Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard Ball.

“By meeting in the world’s largest marketplace under the Taste NY Pavilion, our producers have the chance to connect to new buyers and distributors and bring attention to the best and newest innovations in New York’s specialty and gourmet foods and beverages.”

 

This three day, industry-only event draws more than 46,000 industry professionals.

 It brings together specialty food and beverage producers from around the world with the goal of linking them to a network of distributers and buyers from independent gourmet shops, high-end multiple location retailers, major department stores and specialty merchandisers looking for the very best and newest innovations in specialty and gourmet foods and beverages. 

 

The “Taste NY Pavilion” will be located on the Level 1 show floor. A list of companies featured in the pavilion can be found http://www.agriculture.ny.gov/Press%20Releases/20160623_Taste_NY_Pavilion_Exhibitor.pdf at this link.

New York State Companies Win 'Sofi' Awards

 

From the state Department of Agriculture and Markets:

A total of nine New York state specialty food and beverage producers are winners of the prestigious 2015 sofi Awards at this year’s Summer Fancy Food Show.  

“sofi” stands for specialty outstanding food innovation and recognizes the very best specialty food and beverages across the Northeast. The winning companies, located in the Hudson Valley, Long Island and New York City regions, were selected from more than 2,700 submissions across 32 award categories. 

Four of the nine companies participate in the Taste NY initiative and took part in the Taste NY Pavilion at the Summer Fancy Food Show.

The 2015 sofi award winners from New York are:

 

Hudson Valley

·         Sweet Chili Chickpea Chips, Maya Kaimal Fine Indian Foods (Savory Snack category) – Rhinebeck

·         Grade A Very Dark Color Strong Taste Maple Syrup, Crown Maple , LLC (Food Service category) – Dover Plains

Long Island

·         Authentic Moroccan Seasoning,  cHarissa (Cooking, Dipping or Finishing Sauces category) – Cutchogue

·         Gluten Free Ginger Zinger Cake,  Tate's Bake Shop (Vegan and Gluten Free Product) category – Southampton

 

New York City

·         Dangerously Delicious Black Licorice Chocolate Toffee,  Laurie & Sons (Chocolate Bars category)

– Manhattan

·         White & Vine,  Owl's Brew (Cold Beverages category) – Manhattan

·         Special Sauce, Sir Kensington's (Condiment category) – Manhattan

·         Speculoos Cookie Butter, Steve's Ice Cream, Craft Collective (Ice Cream category) – Brooklyn

·         Kettle Pipcorn, Pipsnacks, LLC (Sweet Snack category) – Manhattan 

 

Now in their 43rd year, sofi Awards are considered the top accolade in the $109-billion specialty food industry. Award submissions were open to all members of the Specialty Food Association. 

More than 200 retailers and foodservice buyers attending the Summer Fancy Food Show judged the products, voting on them based on quality, innovation, ingredient profile, packaging, and pricing.

The judges are top professionals in the specialty food industry and include specialty food retailers, supermarket buyers, natural food merchants, mass marketers, chefs, caterers, journalists and culinary educators. 

New York State had finalists in 14 of the 32 categories, such as chocolate bars, crackers, hot beverages and more.