Summer Fancy Food Show Attendance up 4 percent
Annual Marketplace for Specialty Food Trade Exceeds Expectations
New York, N.Y. (July 10, 2009) - The 55th Summer Fancy Food Show drew a record crowd. More than 24,000
buyers and specialty food industry professionals from around the world attended the show at the Jacob K. Javits
Convention Center in New York City late last month. Attendance was up 4 percent above last year and higher
than at any Fancy Food Show in the past decade.
More than 316,000 square feet of exhibit space was filled with 140,000 specialty foods and beverages from
across the U.S. and 70-plus countries.
"This is a remarkable showing when so many trade shows are seeing drops in attendance and exhibit space due
to challenging economy," said Ann Daw, president of the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade, Inc.,
the show's owner. "The attendance beat our expectations and shows the health of the specialty food industry."
The show, the largest marketplace for specialty food in North America, ended June 30. More than 2,300
exhibitors presented the world's finest foods and beverages, including chocolate, cheese, olive oil, spices, snack
foods, tea, and ethnic specialties. Products that generated buzz included black garlic, miniature watermelons,
bacon-laced lollipops and myriad honeys, cured meats, and confections topped with salt. Blood orange was a hot
flavor, and gluten-free products abounded.
Some of the most important names in retailing attended the show, including Whole Foods, Costco, Meijer, Sears,
Harry and David and Saks Fifth Avenue in addition to countless regional specialty retailers, and even Delta
Airlines.
Numerous programs offered by the NASFT had strong showings. More than 550 buyers cast ballots to select
Gold Winners for the 37th sofiT Awards for the outstanding specialty foods and beverages of 2009, double the
number last year. The Education Program included "Start-Up Saturday," which attracted more than 100 start-up
food companies, including participants in the NASFT's Member Candidate program, and individuals interested in
going into the specialty food business.
The close of the show June 30 was a special success. For the 20th year, Fancy Food Show exhibitors donated
their remaining specialty products to City Harvest, a leading anti-hunger organization. This year's donation was
almost even with last year's record of 204,100 pounds. That is enough to fill five tractor trailers, and fill the
shelves of scores of food pantries throughout New York City with high-quality food.
The NASFT holds two Fancy Food Shows each year. The Winter Fancy Food Show will be in San Francisco
Jan. 17 - 19, 2010. The next Summer Fancy Food Show will be June 27 - 29 at the Javits Center.
The NASFT is a not-for-profit trade association established in 1952 to foster commerce and interest in the
specialty food industry. Today there are more than 2,900 members in the U.S. and abroad. For further
information on the NASFT and its Fancy Food Shows, go to www.specialtyfood.com.
NASFT MEDIA CONTACTS
Ron Tanner, VP, Communications & Education; 646.878.0115, rtanner@nasft.org
Louise Kramer, Communications Director; 646.878.0130, lkramer@nasft.org
Annual Marketplace for Specialty Food Trade Exceeds Expectations
New York, N.Y. (July 10, 2009) - The 55th Summer Fancy Food Show drew a record crowd. More than 24,000
buyers and specialty food industry professionals from around the world attended the show at the Jacob K. Javits
Convention Center in New York City late last month. Attendance was up 4 percent above last year and higher
than at any Fancy Food Show in the past decade.
More than 316,000 square feet of exhibit space was filled with 140,000 specialty foods and beverages from
across the U.S. and 70-plus countries.
"This is a remarkable showing when so many trade shows are seeing drops in attendance and exhibit space due
to challenging economy," said Ann Daw, president of the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade, Inc.,
the show's owner. "The attendance beat our expectations and shows the health of the specialty food industry."
The show, the largest marketplace for specialty food in North America, ended June 30. More than 2,300
exhibitors presented the world's finest foods and beverages, including chocolate, cheese, olive oil, spices, snack
foods, tea, and ethnic specialties. Products that generated buzz included black garlic, miniature watermelons,
bacon-laced lollipops and myriad honeys, cured meats, and confections topped with salt. Blood orange was a hot
flavor, and gluten-free products abounded.
Some of the most important names in retailing attended the show, including Whole Foods, Costco, Meijer, Sears,
Harry and David and Saks Fifth Avenue in addition to countless regional specialty retailers, and even Delta
Airlines.
Numerous programs offered by the NASFT had strong showings. More than 550 buyers cast ballots to select
Gold Winners for the 37th sofiT Awards for the outstanding specialty foods and beverages of 2009, double the
number last year. The Education Program included "Start-Up Saturday," which attracted more than 100 start-up
food companies, including participants in the NASFT's Member Candidate program, and individuals interested in
going into the specialty food business.
The close of the show June 30 was a special success. For the 20th year, Fancy Food Show exhibitors donated
their remaining specialty products to City Harvest, a leading anti-hunger organization. This year's donation was
almost even with last year's record of 204,100 pounds. That is enough to fill five tractor trailers, and fill the
shelves of scores of food pantries throughout New York City with high-quality food.
The NASFT holds two Fancy Food Shows each year. The Winter Fancy Food Show will be in San Francisco
Jan. 17 - 19, 2010. The next Summer Fancy Food Show will be June 27 - 29 at the Javits Center.
The NASFT is a not-for-profit trade association established in 1952 to foster commerce and interest in the
specialty food industry. Today there are more than 2,900 members in the U.S. and abroad. For further
information on the NASFT and its Fancy Food Shows, go to www.specialtyfood.com.
NASFT MEDIA CONTACTS
Ron Tanner, VP, Communications & Education; 646.878.0115, rtanner@nasft.org
Louise Kramer, Communications Director; 646.878.0130, lkramer@nasft.org