
Panettone, one of many fancy packaging displays at the Summer Fancy Food Show
Our second foray to the Summer Fancy Food Show, a trade-only event held again at the cavernous Javits Center in New York City was no less daunting than the first time.
The three-day event features specialty or “fancy foods,” premium quality products often made by artisans and small producers. This year there were 2600 exhibitors and 22,000 attendees.
The show is produced by the Specialty Food Association, a non-profit trade association with more than 3000 members. This was the first time the show had a country as a co-sponsor, with 375 companies displaying foods from Italy. The event brings buyers from the food industry together with producers and vendors looking for distributors.
A few other factoids:
- In addition to the U.S. and Italy, 50 other countries participated.
- One in four food dollars are spent on fancy foods, to the tune of $109 billion last year (2014).
- One of the fastest growing food categories: refrigerated pasta
We walked for hours chatting with exhibitors along the way, and tasted until we couldn’t consume another bite or walk another step. Here’s the “skinny” on what we found:
WHAT WAS TRENDING
Quinoa
This grain from the Andes is called the superfood of the Incas. In 2013, the UN named it the “golden grain” because of its high nutritional value and health benefits.

Quinoa salad with grapes and passion fruit at the Peruvian Pavilion

Quinoa flakes and puffed quinoa
Chia
This small seed is also considered a superfood, purported to be rich in Omega-3 and to speed up metabolism.

Mexican chia snacks
Kale
Home cooks are increasingly incorporating kale into recipes. Although healthy, it can be challenging to cook because of its texture and bitter flavor.

Rhythm Kale Chips with Mango Habanero
Gluten-free
A definite carryover from last year’s show, gluten-free products are still exceedingly popular.

A variety of gluten-free products
Chips
Potato chips move over. Different rice and fruit chips are joining them on specialty shelves.

Risotto chips

Various fruit chips
Everything Hot
Anything hot seems to be the rage. Not only is Sriracha sauce on every restaurant table but there are other popular “hot” products.

Honey and balsamic mustard have given way to wasabi mustard

Korean fermented hot chili paste used in marinades, sauces, soups and stews

Mrs. Renfro’s BBQ Sauces – Ghost Pepper is a favorite!
Low-Cal
This one will never go away. Two interesting new products were Skimpy mixers and Skinny Sticks.

Skimpy Mixers

Skinny Sticks
WHAT WAS CLEVER
Kelp caviar

Seaweed-based vegetarian caviar
Brownie Brittle

Sheila G. discovered that people loved the burnt part of the brownie and made it into brittle
Fruit Pulp Vinegar

Fruit-pulp vinegar from Italy
Himalayan Salt Shooters

Himalayan Salt Shooters – Just add tequila and drink up!
Corn Cones

U-shaped corn ice cream cones from Korea are dripless
OUR FAVORITE STORIES
Much more than the tastings, every show-goer enjoys the one-on-one interaction with people from all over the world who share a passion for food.
We spoke to Mario Pelino, the seventh-generation of his family to work in the Pelino candy factory, which has been in business in Sulmona, Italy since 1783. He explained that Italian “confetti,” disk-shaped sugar candies typically thrown at weddings were the inspiration for the colored paper squares Americans throw at parades.

Mario Pelino
This free-range beef from Uruguay needed no seasonings. We hadn’t realized that Uruguay was a big exporter of meat. The women cooked and sliced it in front of us.

Del Terruno Free Range Beef from Uruguay
Prosecco is one of our favorite sparkling drinks because it’s affordable to sip on any occasion, not just special ones. This one was a new-to-us brand and we can’t wait to try it with cassis or as part of an Aperol Spritz. It was served by lovely hostesses.

Zonin Prosecco Bar
Previously on More Time To Travel:
37 Comments
Marilyn Jones
July 5, 2015 at 10:50 amIt’s amazing what the imagination can come up with!! I’ll bet you had so much fun at this event!! I’m not a foodie, but I know I would enjoy the Summer Fancy Food Show!!
Irene S. Levine
July 5, 2015 at 6:24 pmI even fell in love with the creative packaging!
Catherine Sweeney
July 5, 2015 at 11:42 pmDid you run into the Fallot Mustard people there? I’d love to attend one of the Fancy Food shows and will try to make it to the winter show in San Francisco. I went to a VIP event associated with the show in January — hosted by Fallot and DeLoach Vineyards. Most of the guests had been at the show and they raved about it.Thanks for tips for scoop on what’s trending.
Irene S. Levine
July 6, 2015 at 7:53 amYes, we did! I love the mustards of Dijon~
Betsy Wuebker | PassingThru
July 6, 2015 at 12:37 amFond memories of attending this show every year when we had our gourmet gift business. Oh, the miles and the calories in profusion! We always enjoyed identifying the new trends in packaging as well. While I’m glad to see an emphasis on healthy choices, I have to admit the candy intrigued me more. 😉
Irene S. Levine
July 6, 2015 at 9:13 amWow! You always unravel another interesting part of you! A gourmet gift business must have been fun~
Paula McInerney
July 6, 2015 at 1:40 amI thought Quinoa and kale were out of trend, though I am certainly embracing all of the ‘hot’ as we are also seeing a surge in wasabi based sauces, which I love.
Irene S. Levine
July 6, 2015 at 9:21 amNo way! Quinoa was front and center in so many different types of foods~
Anita @ No Particular Place To Go
July 6, 2015 at 3:19 amTalk about a sensory overload! I’d love to go to the Summer Fancy Food Show and what fun to see and taste even a portion of the incredible foods! We really grew to like quinoa while we were still living in the US and our hostess in Lima, Peru mixed it in just about everything she made – a super versatile grain packed with lots of health benefits too!
Anita
July 6, 2015 at 7:35 amWould love to walk the aisles at this show! It all looks interesting, but I’m always up for trying “quirky”, like the vinegars and seaweed caviar…reminds me a little of the edible display for “dirt” ice cream at Art Basel last month, but probably more pleasantly flavored. 🙂
Irene S. Levine
July 6, 2015 at 9:23 amThe colorful seaweed caviar was very tempting but the melange of different tastes at the show begins to feel overwhelming:-)
[email protected]
July 6, 2015 at 9:06 amI was fascinated to read that one of the fastest growing categories was refrigerated pasta. Over thirty years ago, a girlfriend and I started a fresh pasta business selling pasta to restaurants and good food shops. All we needed was one more step!! I’d love to go to a food show such as this!
Jackie Smith
July 6, 2015 at 10:51 amSo much food and so little time! Great review of the fancy foods, Irene. I’d write more but need to head to the kitchen – you made me hungry.
Irene S. Levine
July 6, 2015 at 11:19 amSo many yummy choices!:-) I’m a big consumer of specialty foods!
Denis Gagnon
July 6, 2015 at 3:14 pmWhen I read at the beginning of your article that Italy was a sponsor of the show, I regretted not having attended. After all, I consider Italian food one of the best cuisines of the world. But then I read through your posting and realized that your detailed reporting and your clear photos covered the show better than if I had been there. I am jealous of all that tasting you had to live through that day …
Irene S. Levine
July 6, 2015 at 3:17 pmI’m flattered by your compliments but this was a case of “you really had to be there” to enjoy all the interesting flavors and textures.:-)
santafetraveler
July 6, 2015 at 9:35 pmWhat a comprehensive post! For years, when I had a boutique in Rhinebeck I dreamed about going to the Fancy Food Show but never got there. While some of it looks fancy, a lot looks, well, not-lol. I was expecting all caviar, fancy chocolates and exotic cheeses.
Irene S. Levine
July 6, 2015 at 9:38 pmI guess “fancy” is really more a function of the quality! So fancy chia isn’t an oxymoron:-)
Laura
July 6, 2015 at 10:56 pmDoes “fancy” refer to food grade, like you see in the store; i.e. “fancy peaches?”
Where are the fancy oreos?
Irene S. Levine
July 7, 2015 at 1:03 pmThe term usually refers to foods generally produced in limited batches by smaller producers (as opposed to mass market ones) so Nabisco Oreos definitely aren’t in that “class.”
Sue Reddel
July 6, 2015 at 11:59 pmWow! What a very thorough review of the latest from the Summer Fancy Food Show. We go to many food and travel trade shows but haven’t done this one yet. I especially loved your coverage of caviar, the Himalayan Salt Shooters and prosecco!
Irene S. Levine
July 7, 2015 at 1:02 pmIt was so much fun! Hope you get there. The winter Specialty Food Show is held on the West Coast.
Carol Colborn
July 7, 2015 at 1:08 amAnd tonight for dinner at our friends’ home in Kamloops, British Columbia (our fourth stop on this road trip) were quinoa dish and kale salad together with good ole roast chicken! Fancy and healthy foods. Some trends are definitely worth it and it is good to know there is such an association and annual show! Thanks.
Irene S. Levine
July 7, 2015 at 1:00 pmSounds like a great dinner! Sharing it with friends is a real taste-enhancer, too!:-)
jo
July 7, 2015 at 8:00 amWhat an incredible festival, and interesting to have a different slant to say Good Food and Wine. I’m glad that not all where unheard of for me but there are a couple of new things for mw to seek out and try.
Sheryl
July 7, 2015 at 11:19 amI’m so sorry I missed this – I would have had lots of fun looking and tasting everything! There’s always next year…thanks for the rundown and as always, fabulous photos!
Irene S. Levine
July 7, 2015 at 12:59 pmThis time next year! Mark your calendar~
Sand In My Suitcase
July 7, 2015 at 1:12 pmIndeed, looks like some “fancy” and unusual foods! We bought a large bag of quinoa, but it’s still sitting unopened in our cupboards. That’s the problem, we like eating everything, but not cooking anything that’s labor-intensive :-). Are those kale chips meant to be eaten as a snack?
Irene S. Levine
July 7, 2015 at 3:23 pmYes, they are a snack but I guess you could call them a vegetable:-)
Mike
July 7, 2015 at 2:35 pmHi Irene! I’m still on my leave from blogging but I wanted to stop by and say hi 🙂 Your food posts always catch my eye for the foodie in me. Also, though I didn’t comment, I read through all of your flight reviews which were fantastic! I hope summer is treating you well! 🙂
Irene S. Levine
July 7, 2015 at 3:23 pmHi Mike,
The thought of a summer vacation sounds wonderful! Hope yours is refreshing and fun! Thanks so much for stopping by~
Best, Irene
Shelley
July 8, 2015 at 1:40 amThanks for the update from the Fancy Food show! It’s incredible the variety of foods available to us today. I’m a wasabi fan, and the brownie brittle sounds yummy!
Irene S. Levine
July 8, 2015 at 8:48 amThe brownie brittle is yummy! It is so sold in small 120-calorie packages, too!
Patti Morrow
July 11, 2015 at 8:55 amThe Summer Fancy Food Show sounds like a lot of fun! I would like to try a little bit of one of the “hot” sauces on a slice of the free-range beef from Uruguay. Can you say Y.U.M.?
Rachel
July 11, 2015 at 9:43 amIf you ever want someone to come along with you to help you taste some of these fancy foods, please call me! So many of them looked like things I’d want to try (except the hot things — those I don’t like at all).
Irene S. Levine
July 11, 2015 at 12:06 pmI’m not crazy about real hot either but for some, the hotter the better:-)
Muza-chan
July 15, 2015 at 11:56 amInteresting…