Loading tweets...
Gama spoke to Leana Salamah, SVP Marketing & Communications, Specialty Food Association, ahead of the latest edition of the Winter Fancy Food Show.
What are your expectations for the 2025 edition of the Winter Fancy Food Show?
We are all very excited for the 2025 Winter Show! The enhanced focus on emerging trends and new-to-market products will elevate the Show experience for our attendees in really meaningful ways. Just one example is our new First Taste Experience food hall, which we’re debuting in Las Vegas. The featured area will have around 10 sampling stations and we’re going to unveil new products grouped by theme each of the three days: International Market, Holiday Market, and Trends Market.
I also expect that both exhibitors and attendees will be excited by some of the new ways we’re helping them cultivate community and connections during the Show. From events we’re hosting for different groups at fun locations across Las Vegas to the Spark Showcase area of the Show Floor where we’ll have panels, product pitches, and casual networking and much more, we really want to enable every person at the Show to reconnect with familiar faces and build new relationships as well.
Read more Tradeshow Look Aheads in the next issue of Gama News.
What trends are you seeing right now in specialty food that you predict may break into the mainstream in the years ahead?
For anyone who missed it, the SFA Trendspotter Panel put together a report on seven emerging trends for 2025 and there are some really exciting ideas in there. My personal favorite is the continuing trend of “Girl Dinner,” which our Panel is calling Girl Dinner 2.0 for 2025. Think easy yet flavorful snacks that can be grazed during the day or dressed up when hanging out with friends. Combine that with some of the big flavour trends of the moment – pickles, swicy and swalty, that kind of thing – and there’s just so much potential.
We know that mainstream food trends always start in specialty, from kombucha to charcuterie to hot honey, which was maybe the most “breakout” product of 2024. So we encourage everyone in the industry to keep an eye on the Trendspotters’ pre-Show predictions and also look for our real-time update during the Show about what they’re seeing from exhibitors in Las Vegas.
What are the key success factors in launching a specialty food or drink brand to market in the current climate?
In any climate, at any time, there will be some must-haves in terms of success in the specialty food market: a great product in terms of taste and quality, strong branding and packaging that appeals to your target consumers, and a smart distribution strategy. Today, I think a major success factor is being tuned-in to trends, because they’re moving faster than ever before; thanks to social media, the right mention for a brand in the right “trending” moment can mean nearly instant success. And while storytelling and having a compelling backstory for your brand and products is always important, we’re seeing increased consumer appetite for “connection” and meaning in their food and beverage choices, so makers need to really refine their stories and get good at telling them—that’s a major key to success.
About the Winter Fancy Food Show
More than a trade show, the Winter Fancy Food Show offers trend-setting makers, buyers, and distributors a first look at the products, flavors, and ideas set to reshape retail shelves and menu listings across the country and the world.
Celebrate, discover, and connect with our incredible community at this one-of-a-kind event. The Winter Show brings together tastemakers from retail, distribution, and foodservice to set the tone for the year ahead in specialty food.
https://www.specialtyfood.com/fancy-food-shows/winter
