Summer Fancy Food Show Cancelled

Following a deluge of other food and beverage show cancellations and delays, the Specialty Food Association (SFA) announced today that its Summer Fancy Food Show will be cancelled. The trade show was slated to run June 28 through 30 in New York City.

The fate of the trade show has been in question since March, when N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the trade show’s venue, the Jacob K Javits Convention Center, would be reappropriated as a field hospital for 2,500 overflow patients from inundated New York City hospitals. In an online statement, the SFA noted that alongside potential travel issues “ the Javits Center’s critical service in fighting the pandemic… impacts the facility’s availability.”’

A week ago, on April 6th, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo extended the city’s PAUSE order, along with school closures, through April 29. The city has also begun issuing fines to those residents that do not follow social distancing measures.

In a previous video message and online updates, SFA president Phil Kafarakis explained that the delays were due to state and city regulations but promised to maintain transparency.

“It’s important to understand that we have some nuances that we have to work through with Javits,” he told viewers. “Stay focused on your family. Stay focused on your immediate business priorities… we’re going to stand up and make you a promise that we’re going to take care of you and we’re going to do the right thing… as soon we know what’s going to happen and have formal decisions, we’ll communicate them to you immediately.”

While the organization didn’t list exact plans for registration fees, both the online press release and an email directed attendees and exhibitors to a “Summer Fancy Food Show Refund Center.” That website indicates that exhibitors can choose between a refund or credit, while attendees will receive a refund. Refunds are expected to take between two to four weeks to process.

“As the leader in the future of food movement, our responsibility is to serve our members through good times and bad,” SFA President Phil Kafarakis said in a release. “Our legacy is one of connecting the global specialty food industry – makers, buyers and distributors – and we’re assessing ways to create an engaging environment for that, outside of the Fancy Food Show.”