Specialty Food Association to Replace Winter Fancy Food Show With New Calif. Event
To kick off the Winter Fancy Food Show in Las Vegas on Sunday, The Specialty Food Association (SFA) announced that – after a nearly five-decade run – a new event will take its place. Winter FancyFaire* is set for January 2026 in San Diego with a reimagined format that includes opportunities for earlier-stage innovation and interactive experiences.
While specific details of the event are scarce, the SFA says it aims to appeal more to millennials and Gen Z, who will represent three-quarters of trade show attendees by 2030, according to industry research.
“The expectations of these generations include more experiential product discovery; identification of trends before they hit the mainstream; immersion and inspiration from local culture; and more data-driven, real-time wayfinding, matchmaking, and socializing. Winter FancyFaire* has been developed from the ground-up to meet these expectations,” said Phil Robinson, SVP of member development at the SFA, in a statement.
Following next year’s debut in San Diego, Winter FancyFaire* will move to San Francisco in 2027 – the previous home of the Winter Fancy Food Show for many years. According to the SFA, the event will provide activations and experiences beyond the convention center to “immerse participants in the local retail and culinary scenes.”
The Summer Fancy Food Show in New York will remain unchanged.
The industry trade show landscape has become more competitive in recent years, leaving organizers scrambling to evolve. Newtopia Now replaced Natural Products Expo East last year, offering a more intimate setting with curated product discovery halls, matchmaking sessions and networking opportunities within and outside of the convention center.
Another goal of Winter FancyFaire* is to make these shows accessible to early-stage brands once again. There will be lower-cost prices to participate including tabletop booth formats and day passes to address that need, Forbes reported.
Winter FancyFaire* will be held January 11-13, 2026, at the San Diego Convention Center for qualified members of the specialty food trade, industry affiliates and media.
