Three First-Time Exhibitors To See At Summer Fancy Food

The Summer Fancy Food Show kicks off this weekend in New York City, and we’ve got our eyes on a handful of standout brands. Amid all the cheese, charcuterie and chocolate, dozens of first-time exhibitors are slated to debut innovative twists on traditional categories. Here are three on our radar.

Adrianne’s Pick:

As the team’s resident vegetarian (and a regular consumer of salad and other ‘bowl food’) this one looks like a complete gamechanger. Two-year-old Salad Sprinkles (Booth #5941) is making its Summer Fancy Food Show debut with three SKUs of crispy rice-based salad toppers in Classic Herb, Chili Crisp and Maple Sea Salt.

Each “naturally gluten-free” SKU contains an array of herbs, spices and flavoring. The product aligns well with the rise in at-home eating, offering consumers an easy mode to spice up a simple salad with its closest competitor being the (sometimes) controversial crouton. Texture is everything – even the natural food gods at Whole Foods predicted crunch to be “the texture of the moment” this year.

Lukas’ Pick:

As we’ve established, premium meat sticks are driving momentum in the OG protein category: meat snacks. Dollar sales are up 6.4% year-over-year, with meat sticks leading the charge, up 11.9%, according to SPINS. How does a new brand capture that enthusiasm? Go ultra-premium.

First-timer Carnal (Booth #5547B) is marketing itself as “The Meat Snacks Only Michelin-Trained Chefs Could Create.” Developed in Brooklyn and now operating an eponymous Bellingham, Wash. restaurant, Carnal harnesses the expertise of three chefs who have worked at various Michelin-star restaurants. The brand uses fermented black garlic, aged soy sauce and black truffles in its jerky and meat stick SKUs.

Monica’s Pick:

Chikka Chikka (Booth #RP202A) offers a trio of Indian fennel seed mixes packaged in vibrant, pocket-sized tins. The brand launched last year, marketing a modern spin on a traditional digestive designed to pop post-meal for anti-inflammatory and oral health benefits.

A staple of Ayurvedic medicine, fennel seeds are rich in vitamins and minerals including magnesium and manganese. Many mixes in the market are packed with sugar and artificial ingredients, according to married co-founders Arif Khan and Sabeen Hasan. Chikka Chikka’s high-fiber, gluten-free blends are crafted with New York maple syrup, Sri Lankan cinnamon, Oregon mint and Indian coriander, fennel and cardamom.

With so many South Asian-inspired items set to debut at the event, this supplement stands out for its gut-friendly functionality and deep cultural roots.