This year, I attended the Specialty Food Association’s Summer 2023 Fancy Food Show in New York! The Fancy Food Shows are the largest specialty food industry events in North America for product discovery, trendspotting, and networking. More than 2,200 domestic and international companies across 40+ specialty food and beverage categories exhibited at the Show, with every space filled! As a member of the food industry, it’s great to get access to these events to spot trends. I was on the hunt for sustainable and eco-friendly brands with guidelines from our recent post!
Fancy food shows and other trade shows serve as a vibrant hub where industry professionals, innovators, and enthusiasts gather to showcase their latest offerings and catch a glimpse of the trends that lie ahead. These events not only create networking opportunities but also provide a platform to discover cutting-edge technologies and witness emerging trends. In this blog post, we will explore some of the top trends and highlight key brands to be on the lookout for!
Trend: Upcycling
Brand Spotlight: Matriark Foods
I typically make my tomato sauce from scratch, but this is a sauce I would by to keep my pantry stocked! Deliciously sustainable, the upcycled tomato sauce from Matriark Foods showcases a timeless classic with resourcefulness. Matriark Foods resurrects ugly tomatoes which would have otherwise gone to the landfill. These rescued tomatoes make an eco-friendly and flavorful tomato sauce choice. They were a key exhibitor at the 2023 Fancy Food Show’s Upcycled Pavillion!
From their carbon neutrality, to upcycled ingredient sourcing, to the impact metrics written on the side of each package, to the sustainable and responsible packaging, this tomato sauce serves as more than your favorite companion to pasta. Find Matriak Foods products on Amazon, at your local Whole Foods, or buy it here!
Trend: Flavor Forward Hot Sauce
Brand Spotlight: Hot N Saucy
If you’re a fan of Hot One’s, you may have seen this Hot N Saucy hot sauce before! Taking a different approach from straight heat, Hot N Saucy provides flavorful pairing to your favorite foods. This booth was easy to find at the 2023 Fancy Food Show. Their beautiful branding and effervescent owner greeted everyone at the show!
Each sauce contains a vegetable and a pepper, guaranteeing a sweet and tangy mix. My favorite one I tried, and their most popular, is the Garlic and Pepperoncini sauce! It had a sweet, and tangy first bite, and a delayed, mild heat. This sauce is easy to integrate into your favorite meals or as a topping to your favorite sides. You can find and purchase this Black and Woman-Owned Business on Amazon or on their website.
Trend: Plant-Based Staples
Brand Spotlight: Farmer Foodie
We’ve seen many meat analogs in the market and many new brands coming into the plant-based space. But it’s always been a difficult challenge to replace some classic staples like Parmesan. It’s a beloved topping that can round out or finish a dish. Most Parmesan on the market doesn’t meet the rigorous standards of Italian Parmesan cheese. Those that do are often import from Italy, leading to a high transport emissions.
Farmer Foodie showcased its Cashew Parm™ at the 2023 Fancy Food Show on popcorn, my favorite snack! It created a cheesy, delicious snack that satisfied the need an umami popcorn without the need for cheese. It’s more elevated than nutritional yeast alone! Look for Cashew Parm™ soon on Amazon or order direct from their website.
Trend: Novel Ingredients
Brand Spotlight: Atlantic Sea Farms
Many new ingredients have been popping up in the market, creating healing ingredients. While seaweed has gained in popularity, the sustainability of the ingredient is often overlooked. With over 98% of the seaweed in the world coming from Asia, there was a need for local supply!
Established in 2009, Atlantic Sea Farms are the first commercially viable seaweed farm in the United States. Their goal is diversifying coastal waters usage and providing a domestic, fresh, healthy alternative to imported seaweed products.
Seaweed and Kelp have some fantastic health benefits, and making it a superfood! Kelp contains over 20 different vitamins and minerals: iron, potassium, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin B12, magnesium, and iodine plus soluble fiber and antioxidant-promoting phytochemicals. Be on the lookout for Atlantic SeaFarms in stores or buy direct from Amazon!
Trend: Mocktails & Functional Ingredients
Brand Spotlight: Three Spirits
It might not come as a surprise to you that Mocktails were high up on the list of trends. Turns out many people are tired of drinking after the pandemic! Younger consumers are looking for other beverages to drink in a social setting. For all you beverage goblins, be on the lookout for a new delicious treat!
Three Spirits is a beverage elixir that can be either consumed by itself or mixed in with other beverages. They are a Certified B Corporation and 99% Plastic free company that focuses on botanicals that can deliver the desired effects of alcohol, like taste, relaxation, sociability, and ritual.
I tried the Livener mixed with some ginger beer and was pleasantly surprised on the unique taste of the beverage. While the mocktail industry might have some ways to go before becoming mainstream, it’s great to know that these ethical and plant-forward companies exist! You can buy their products here!
Share this post with friends who love to try new foods!
We hope you enjoyed learning about the 2023 Fancy Food Show Trends and new brands as much as we did! Be sure to be on the lookout for these new brands and let us know if you try them! Our favorites are Matriark Foods, Farmer Foodie, and Atlantic Sea Farms! Leave a comment below if you find ones you like and make sure you share this post with friends and family that to try new products.
