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How to Prepare to Exhibit at the Winter Fancy Food Show 2024: Tips for Exhibitors

Attending the Fancy Food Show brings you face-to-face with brands and producers from across the country and around the globe. It’s a one-stop-shop for the hottest specialty food trends and biggest selling products.

Get your taste buds geared up; the Winter Fancy Food Show is returning to Las Vegas, Nevada this January 21 – 23, 2024 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

 

Key Takeaways

  1. Event Details: The Fancy Food Winter Show is scheduled to take place January 21-23, 2024, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
  2. Membership Requirement: To exhibit at the show, you must be a product-qualified member of the Specialty Food Association (SFA), which may take approximately two weeks to complete the application process.
  3. Booth Space Pricing: Booth space pricing varies depending on membership status and location preferences, with an additional fee for corner booths.
  4. Benefits for Exhibitors: All exhibitors receive standard inclusions, such as booth structure and listings. Specialty Food Association (SFA) member exhibitors enjoy additional benefits like a complimentary booth package and drayage allowances.
  5. Preparation Tips: Proper preparation is crucial for a successful exhibit. This includes setting clear goals, conducting research, planning your exhibit, advertising in advance, engaging on social media, drawing the crowd with interactive displays, bringing promotional materials, keeping staff at your booth, and following up with leads after the event.

 

About Fancy Food Winter Show 2024

The Fancy Food Winter Show, also known as the Winter Fancy Food Show, is a prominent annual event in the food and beverage industry. This trade show is organized by the Specialty Food Association (SFA) and is one of the largest gatherings of its kind. The show typically takes place in the winter months and serves as a platform for producers, distributors, retailers, and other professionals in the food industry to showcase and discover innovative and specialty food and beverage products.

Fancy Food Winter Show Facts and Statistics:

  • Date: January 21 – 23, 2024 
    • Venue: Las Vegas Convention Center, West Hall
  • City/State: Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Sponsor: Specialty Food Association (SFA)

 

ABOUT SPECIALTY FOOD ASSOCIATION (SFA)

The membership-based Specialty Food Association (SFA) includes over 3,500 businesses, including specialty food artisans, importers, purveyors and distributors, as well as entrepreneurs and others in the food trade business. This gives a wide array of industry knowledge and leadership forecast to be in attendance each season the show is held.

 

Who Attends the Fancy Food Winter Show?

The Fancy Food Winter Show is primarily geared towards professionals in the food and beverage industry, including retailers, distributors, chefs, restaurateurs, importers, exporters, and anyone interested in discovering unique and high-quality food products.

 

How to Exhibit at the Fancy Food Winter Show?

To exhibit at the Fancy Food Winter Show, you’ll need to follow a series of steps and meet certain requirements. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to book your exhibit:

Membership Requirement:

  • To exhibit at the Fancy Food Winter Show, you must be a product-qualified member of the Specialty Food Association (SFA). If you’re not already a member, you can learn more about membership and apply on the Specialty Food Association’s website.
  • Be aware that the membership application and product qualification process may take about two weeks to complete. Plan accordingly to meet the membership requirement before proceeding.

Booth Space Pricing:

  • Review the booth space pricing for the 2024 Winter Fancy Food Show, which includes:
    • $4,400 for each 10×10 booth for Specialty Food Association Members.
    • $4,500 for each 10×10 booth for International Pavilions and International Non-members.
    • There’s a $500 upcharge per 10×10 corner booth if you prefer a corner location.

Included for All Exhibitors:

  • All exhibitors receive certain standard inclusions, such as:
    • Pipe and drape booth structure, including 8′ high black back drape and 3′ high black side drape.
    • Listing in the online directory and mobile app.
    • Complimentary exhibitor badges: You’ll receive 5 badges per 10′ x 10′ of exhibit space.
    • Floor stickers designating first-time exhibitors, DEI exhibitors, and new products.

Value-Added Benefits for SFA Member Exhibitors:

  • Specialty Food Association Member Exhibitors receive additional benefits, including:
    • Complimentary Booth Package:
      • (2) 6′ undraped tables (30” high x 24” wide).
      • (2) folding chairs.
      • (1) wastebasket.
      • 9′ x 10′ booth carpet.
      • 7″ x 44″ one-line identification sign.
    • Complimentary Drayage:
      • 100 pounds of free drayage is included per 10×10 booth.
      • Exhibitors with 400 linear square feet or less will receive an added 100 pounds per 100 square feet.
      • Exhibitors with 400 sq ft (non-linear) or more will only receive the base 100 lbs. per 10×10.

Booth Reservation:

  • Once you’ve become a product-qualified SFA member and reviewed the pricing and benefits, you can proceed to book your booth. The booking process will likely be available on the Specialty Food Association’s website, and you’ll need to provide information about your booth preferences and requirements.

Prepare Your Exhibit:

  • After booking your booth, start preparing your exhibit. This includes designing your booth layout, organizing your products, and planning your promotional materials and displays.

Participate Actively:

  • Make the most of your participation by actively engaging with attendees, showcasing your products, networking, and attending any relevant seminars or sessions during the event.

Remember to check the Specialty Food Association’s official website the most up-to-date information regarding booth reservations, deadlines, and any additional requirements or guidelines for exhibitors.

 

Why Exhibit at the Fancy Food Winter Show?

Exhibiting at the Fancy Food Winter Show offers numerous benefits for businesses in the food and beverage industry. Here are several compelling reasons why companies choose to exhibit at this prestigious trade show:

  1. Exposure to Key Buyers: The Fancy Food Winter Show attracts a diverse range of qualified buyers, including retailers, distributors, brokers, and restaurant owners. It provides an excellent opportunity to showcase your products directly to decision-makers who can potentially carry your items in their establishments.
  2. Sampling Opportunities: Attendees can sample your products, allowing them to experience the taste and quality firsthand. Sampling is a powerful marketing tool that can lead to immediate sales and future orders.
  3. Market Research: Exhibiting at the show allows you to gather valuable market insights. You can receive direct feedback from attendees, learn about emerging trends, and assess how your products compare to competitors in the industry.
  4. Networking: The Fancy Food Winter Show is a hub for networking with other professionals in the food and beverage sector. You can connect with potential business partners, distributors, suppliers, and even investors who may be interested in your products.
  5. Brand Exposure: Participating in a high-profile event like this gives your brand increased visibility and credibility within the specialty food industry. It can help build brand recognition and trust among attendees.
  6. Access to International Markets: If you’re looking to expand your products into international markets, the show’s international pavilions and attendees provide an excellent platform for making global connections and exploring export opportunities.
  7. Educational Opportunities: The show often features educational sessions and seminars conducted by industry experts. These sessions can provide valuable insights into industry trends, consumer preferences, and best practices.
  8. Product Launches and Innovations: If you have new products or innovations to showcase, the Fancy Food Winter Show is an ideal platform for their launch. You can generate buzz and excitement among attendees and the media.
  9. Competitive Advantage: By exhibiting at the show, you can demonstrate your commitment to excellence in the specialty food and beverage industry. This can give you a competitive edge over brands that choose not to participate.
  10. Marketing and Promotion: The show’s marketing efforts, including the online directory and mobile app listing, help promote your booth and products to a wider audience. It also offers floor stickers to highlight special categories of exhibitors, such as first-time exhibitors or those with new products.
  11. Special Benefits for SFA Members: As a member of the Specialty Food Association, you can access additional benefits, including complimentary booth packages and drayage allowances, which can help reduce your overall exhibition costs.

Exhibiting at the Fancy Food Winter Show can be a strategic investment for businesses in the specialty food and beverage industry. It provides a platform to connect with key industry players, gain exposure, and ultimately grow your business by expanding your customer base and exploring new opportunities.

 

Featured Exhibitors

To discover this year’s featured exhibitors and explore their innovative products, please visit the official Fancy Food Winter Show website.

 

Preparing to Exhibit at Fancy Food Winter Show 2024

Trade show exhibits are a big investment; here’s what you need to make your time successful:

We’ve created this comprehensive Trade Show Preparation Guide, which you download for free, to help you prepare for the show.

Set Clear Goals for Your Trade Show Experience 

Asking yourself the following questions can help with this task. Once you have the answers to these questions, you can develop a clear plan to reach your goals and measure your success.

  • What do you hope to gain from the Fancy Food Winter Show? 
  • How many attendees do you want to draw in, and how many leads do you want to generate? 
  • What products do you want to showcase? 
  • Are you launching a product or promoting your business? 

Do Your Research

Although you can’t attend everything, you can maximize your time by putting yourself in reach of your target audience at all times. Focus on the expos and educational events that are most likely to include your target customers so you can put all your attention on those most likely to buy.

Budget and Register for Your Space

When you register for Fancy Food Winter Show, be sure to find out all you can about your space, such as its location on the floor, other exhibitors near you, the typical traffic in the area and what’s included in the space, such as lighting.

Plan Your Exhibit

The last thing you want is a cluttered booth. To plan your exhibit, decide on who you want to reach and what products, demonstrations and promotional materials are best suited to their needs. If you’re targeting multiple audiences, consider the best products to launch or showcase to reach a wide variety of attendees.

Advertise Well in Advance

Trade show promotion should start months in advance. Promote your attendance on social media, your website, in press releases and through email blasts to ensure that your customers have time to plan. Utilize information such as the attendee list to reach new customers before the show even starts. 

 

Tips for Exhibiting at Fancy Food Winter Show 2024

Engage on Social Media

Use social media outlets to share your trade show exhibit information, drum up anticipation for your giveaways or product launches and share behind-the-scenes tidbits like your team packing for the event or show meetings. Be sure to use the show’s hashtags or other relevant tagging to get your posts into the online conversation. 

Draw the Crowd

Use an interactive display, such as a game, contest or raffle to draw people’s interest to your booth. Giving away prizes through raffles or contests is a great way to collect information about visitors and encourage more traffic to your booth.

Bring Promotional Materials

Make sure you devote enough of your budget to an array of promotional materials. You should have order forms, business cards, price sheets, brochures, flyers and more that you can hand out to visitors to ensure you stay in their minds.

Keep Staff at Your Booth

At a show, you’ll want to attend networking events and educational seminars, so it’s important to make sure that your booth is never empty. When you’re preparing for the show, ensure you have enough team members attending the show to man the booth the entire time the show is open and greet visitors to engage them with your business.

Follow up With Attendees

Following up with your leads is almost as important as planning for the show itself. Take notes during the event to be sure you remember everyone in all the chaos, and take the time to note any opportunities for a smoother event experience in the future.

 

Planning on Exhibiting at the Fancy Food Winter Show 2024?

With so many specialty food and beverage industry professionals and vendors, there’s no better place to network in the specialty food and beverage industry than at the Fancy Food Winter Show 2024. This event not only provides endless opportunities for networking and business relationships, but it also features some of the top educational sessions in the field.

If you’re planning to attend, be sure you make the most of your experience and investment with a stunning booth design that showcases your brand. At Xibit Solutions, we specialize in creating a professional booth experience from start to finish, including show displays and logistics, to ensure you make a lasting impression. No matter your budget or needs, we’ll help you make your mark on the Fancy Food Winter Show 2024 with customized planning and designs.

Contact Xibit Solutions today to learn more about our trade show booth design services and see what we can do to make the Fancy Food Winter Show 2024 a success.