More than 29,000 specialty food and beverage industry professionals came together for the Specialty Food Association’s (SFA) sold-out 68th Summer Fancy Food Show, June 23-25 at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City.

The Fancy Food Shows are where the specialty food and beverage industry gather for product discovery, networking, trendspotting, and education. More than 2,400 domestic and 56 international companies across 40+ specialty food and beverage categories exhibited at the show. In addition to makers and buyers, the show attracted industry affiliates, press, influencers, investors, and trendspotters thanks to the diversity and quality of products on display, thought-provoking Keynotes, events including the inaugural SFA Awards Gala and three sold out retail tours, and other attractions.

Specialty food sales across retail, foodservice, and ecommerce grew 6.5% to a whopping $206.8 billion in 2023, according to the findings of SFA’s 2024-25 State of the Specialty Food Industry research, presented for the first time at a standing-room-only session on Sunday at the Javits Center. 

"This year's show highlighted our incredible specialty food community in so many different ways, and SFA appreciates everyone who participated,” said SFA president Bill Lynch. “It was the place to be for a captivating keynote with Whole Foods Market chief executive officer Jason Buechel and an insightful fireside chat with Kristen Kish, who also hosted our SFA Awards Gala.”

Exhibitor Bauli, the iconic Italian bakery brand and family-run business renowned for the iconic holiday pandoro box and baked goods, which celebrated its hundredth year in business in 2022, is recently making strides to further expand its business in the US market. The brand's commitment to excellence has earned a well-deserved reputation for providing high-quality, authentic bakery items that delight consumers worldwide.

Bauli featured a wide range of bakery products, both savory and sweet, including panettone, croissants, pandoro, cakes, crackers, bruschetta, amaretti and more. Bauli Group's presence at the Fancy Food Show marks a key milestone in the company's strategic path of tri-directional growth through the innovation of new product categories, the development of new sales channels, and the expansion into new geographic markets.

In the 2000s, Bauli embarked on a mission to expand globally to share the art of Italian baked goods with the world. Today, Bauli products are available in over 70 countries, bringing the taste of authentic Italian specialties to international audiences.

In 2023, Italian exports to the US grew an additional 5.4 percent over 2022, setting a historical record with a total value of $72.9 billion. The cultural affinity, consumption trends, and vast size of the American market make it an ideal place to invest. This allowed Italy to remain the 11th largest supplier country to the United States. To date, exports account for 20 percent of the Bauli Group's business. The international growth goal is to double exports in the next seven years, rapidly doubling the U.S. market within the next two years.

"We are proud to bring the combination of tradition and innovation in the baking industry that has distinguished our Group for more than 100 years to the Summer Fancy Food Show," says Fabio Di Giammarco, chief executive officer of Bauli Group. "This event represents an important opportunity in our international growth strategy. It is a crucial moment to strengthen relations with key international stakeholders and to consolidate the positioning of the Bauli brand as an ambassador of “Made in Italy” excellence in the food sector."

Other exhibitors brought their best to the show yet again, and the collective energy this year was palpable, showcasing innovations in product format, flavor, and more that will reverberate through the wider food industry in the months to come.         

“Summer Fancy Food Show is by far the most relevant time and place in the world for anyone driving or seeking innovation in food and beverage, where opportunity and community converge,” comments Tsepo Montsi, co-founder, Monatea.