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Submitted by Dame Sharon Olson
San Francisco, 2012

This year’s Winter Fancy Food Show took over the streets of San Francisco. With sold-out exhibit halls featuring over 80,000 specialty products from 1,300 exhibitors representing over 35 countries, the 17,000 attendees flooded the show floor in search of what’s next from unique indulgences to conscious comfort food.

Consumer Confidence Spurs Specialty Food Sales
Consumer confidence continues to rise, and it favors the specialty food industry. Sales of specialty food and beverages rose over 7% in 2010, topping $70.32 billion, with $14.4 billion represented by sales to the foodservice industry, according to National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT).

Cuisine Spotlight

• Korean: Korean flavors were in abundance on the show floor from kimchi to Korean marinades and rubs to convenience grab-and-go. Consumers are expanding their palates to include more exotic and interesting flavor profiles.

• Philippines: This tamer version of Asian food, based more on the food of home cooks than fine dining chefs, is gathering a following. Its combination of Malaysian, Chinese, Indian and Spanish influence marries the familiar with the exotic.

• Mediterranean: Importers say that Mediterranean is one the most influential emerging cuisines. Italian has become a familiar favorite in American homes and restaurants and other regions of the Mediterranean continue to grow in familiarity and popularity.

The Flavor Buzz Read the full story »