Of course you’d expect it, with the Winter Fancy Food Show held in San Francisco—and yes, California has the largest number of exhibitors. There are 320 of them, to be exact. The next largest showing from a state is New York, with 100 exhibitors.
Are there that many entrepreneurs in California?
Apparently, yes. And they are making everything from truffle chevre from Petaluma, açai pomegranate black tea from San Francisco, ancho chili caramels from Los Angeles, and an orange-apple-tomatillo relish from Hollywood.
These California exhibitors are a statewide sampling:
Fra’Mani Handcrafted Foods, Berkeley – cured meats
Sauce Goddess, San Diego – marinades and sauces
Zhena’s Gypsy Tea, Ojai – tea
Viola’s Gourmet Goodies, Los Angeles – sauces and relishes
One Planet Food, Ross – granola
John Kelly Chocolates, Los Angeles – fudge
Vin Tucci, Paso Robles – wine-infused cookies
Krave Jerky, Sonoma – artisanal jerky
Chaparral Gardens, Atascadero – vinegars
In addition, California companies made a strong showing in the 2010 sofi™ Awards for the outstanding specialty foods and beverages of the year. The awards, presented by the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade, Inc. (NASFT), owner of the Winter Fancy Food Show, are the top honor in the $63-billion specialty food industry. A complete listing of winners withcompany profiles is at www.foodspring.com/sofiawards.
California sofi Gold winners are:
San Ramon-based Brands of Britain – Fever-Tree Ginger Beer
Dave’s Gourmet, Inc. – Masala Marinara
Lucero Olive Oil – Peach Balsamic Vinegar
Manicaretti Italian Food Imports – Olio Verde Extra Virgin Lemon
Poco Dolce – Sesame Toffee Tiles
Sonoma Syrup Co., Inc – Extract Gift Set
“This is the Fancy Food Show’s 36th year in California. The variety of products and the constant innovation shown by our local members is a cornerstone of our Winter Show,” says Ann Daw, president of the NASFT.
Italy leads the international count with 115 exhibitors, followed by Canada with 70.
For more show coverage, see links below.
