This is our first time back to NYC for Fancy food show since 2014, and we always enjoy the Good Foods Mercantile. With so many events happening at the same time we decided to make a big to-do over our adventure to the Big Apple. Our founder and owner Matt Jamie even joined along! He left us with some notes from his trip, and wanted to share some of his thoughts and feelings!
These shows mean so much to us and our industry; not only do we get to meet new customers we get to reconnect with our current ones. We have grown so much since our last trip out to NYC. In the past three years, we have added many new products, employed more people, and continued to develop our craft. These shows help us get discovered by restaurateurs, grocery stores, liquor stores, and connoisseurs. We have more products now than we did back in 2014, and so much more to talk about!
Our industry trade shows are always inspiring to us as producers. We love seeing what the other makers are doing, and it makes us want to continue to strive for greatness. Seeing how the other vendors market themselves, how they display things, how they talk about their products is encouraging to us. These people here are truly trendsetters of their craft. The Fancy Food Show is massive; it is located in the recently renovated Javits Center. The convention center is impressive beyond words, and the show host always treats us with first class service.
Many of the attendees are old friends like Shamus Jones from Brooklyn Brine, and it is great to see our companies mature together. It is so nice to watch our companies grow, and succeed. Shows like these are also a place where we can share ideas, talk about growth, and problems amongst our industry peers. Not only that, but a great opportunity to network with like-minded people from other countries. Right now we are working on a special product with a friend from Italy, and it should be amazing when it’s finally finished!
Then there’s the nightlife, our favorite kind of “networking!” The NYC dining scene is like a kid in a candy store to us. Special thanks to Brooks Reitz from Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. for some great recommendations. We always want to eat where the cool kids eat! Also, a thank you to Ian Navarro with Creation Gardens for inviting the BBF team to tag along for some of the greatest NYC experiences yet!
You can learn more about the Good Foods Mercantile and Fancy Food Show on their website or we have outlined some information below!
Specialty Food – Welcome to the Specialty Food Association, where we create, connect, support, and share the extraordinary experience of specialty food with the world. Join for access to exclusive membership benefits.
Goof Food Awards – The Good Food Awards celebrate the kind of food we all want to eat: tasty, authentic and responsibly produced. We grant awards to outstanding American food producers and the farmers who provide their ingredients. We host an annual Awards Ceremony and Marketplace in San Francisco to honor the Good Food Award recipients who push their industries towards craftsmanship and sustainability while enhancing our agricultural landscape and building strong communities.
In its eighth year, Good Food Awards will be given to winners in 15 categories: beer, cider, charcuterie, cheese, chocolate, coffee, confections, preserved fish, honey, oils pantry, pickles, preserves, spirits, and our newest category, elixirs. Awards will be presented to producers from each of five regions of the U.S. The Good Food Awards Seal, found on winning products, assures consumers they have found something exceptionally delicious which also supports sustainability and social good.