Winter Fancy Food Show in S.F. on Jan. 20-22

California’s culinary creativity will be on full display at the Winter Fancy Food Show, with more than 365 specialty food makers from the state presenting their latest products from caviar to quinoa.

Now in its 38th year, the Winter Fancy Food Show is the largest marketplace for specialty foods and beverages on the West Coast and a must-attend international culinary event for top buyers from around the world. The show takes place Jan. 20 – 22, 2013, at Moscone Center in San Francisco.

The exhibit halls will be filled with 80,000 products from 1,300 exhibitors from the U.S. and 35 countries and regions. More than 18,000 buyers from top names in food retailing and restaurants are expected to attend, all looking for new products, ideas, and trends in specialty foods to present to consumers in the year to come.

California boasts by far the largest state showing, with more than four times the exhibitors as next-largest, New York, with close to 90 exhibitors, followed by Washington and Texas. Overall, domestic exhibitors hail from Alaska to Arkansas to Maine.

“There is unprecedented interest in specialty food and the people who make it, and California’s food scene is a true stand out,” says Ann Daw, president of the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade, Inc. (NASFT), owner and operator of the Winter Fancy Food Show.

The Golden State’s inventive offerings will include varietal grapeseed oil from Santa Rosa, spiced almond caramel corn from Berkeley, and vegan nacho bean and rice chips from Los Angeles.

California’s exhibitors include:

CC Made, Berkeley – artisanal caramel confections
Beanfields, Los Angeles – bean and rice chips
Buenos Aires Alfajores, Oakland – Argentinean-style shortbread
WholeVine Products, Santa Rosa – varietal grapeseed oils, gluten free cookies
Tasty Brand, Inc., Calabasas – organic baby food and fruit snacks
Numi Organic Tea, Oakland – organic and fair trade teas
Fra’ Mani Handcrafted Foods, Berkeley – artisanal meats
Urbane Grain, San Jose – quinoa blends
Redwood Hill Farm, Sebastapol – goat cheese, yogurt and kefir
Nago Foods, San Francisco – miso dressings
Palapa Azul, Santa Monica – Mexican-style ice cream, sorbet and frozen fruit bars
Savor California – Presenting 28 food producers from across the state
In addition, California companies made a strong showing in the 2012 sofi™ Awards for the outstanding specialty foods and beverages of the year, with six food makers winning coveted gold awards amid unprecedented competition. The awards, presented by the NASFT, are the highest honor in the $75-billion specialty food industry. All 35 Gold Winners are featured in a special showcase (Lower Lobby, between North and South halls). A full list of winners with company profiles is at foodspring.com/sofiawards.

California sofi Gold winners are:

Back to the Roots, Oakland – Grow-Your-Own Mushroom Garden
Brands of Britain, San Ramon – Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic
Cable Car Delights, Inc., Berkeley – The Latest Scoop Ginger Pear Sorbet
Chapparal Gardens, Atascadero – Champagne Mimosa Vinegar
O Olive Oil, Petaluma – O Fig Balsamic Vinegar
Sukhi’s Gourmet Indian Foods, Hayward – Chicken Samosas & Chutney