5 Reasons we loved to be there!
Last week, Barkeater Chocolates exhibited for the 4th year at Specialty Food’s Summer Fancy Food Show in NYC. While each year boasts its newest trends and tastes, here are our favorite reasons for being involved in one of the largest US food shows of 2016.
- Mother Nature. It’s not often I’m pleased with this fickle lady. Yet, at our fourth Fancy Food show, we had the sheer pleasure of perfect weather. An unprecedented run of beautiful sunshine, low humidity and a gentle breeze set us off on the path of extreme & sustained euphoria as we found ourselves striding along the city streets on our way to and from the Javits Center.
- Taste NY staff and all the exhibitors down our aisle. Being down the New York State pavilion truly gave the impression that we were part of one big neighborhood, even though our geography spanned from Brooklyn to the Adirondacks and everywhere in between. It’s a wonderful feeling to know that we all share a certain kinship that can only be described as a New York State of Mind.
- The variety of unique and mouthwatering foods and beverages were intoxicating as always. Obviously this is a MAJOR reason for enjoying ourselves at the show. Where else can you sample pasta made by an Italian chef hailing from Rome on the same day you savor a piece of cheddar from Madison, Wisconsin? There’s no better way to take a trip around the world without leaving NYC.
- Meeting our customers and vendors – sometimes for the first time – in person. So often in our global economy, business is done electronically or by phone. How wonderful to meet our box supplier, distributor and newest retailer on the same day – even though they’re all located 1000 miles from each other.
- The buzz. There’s a certain energy in the air at Fancy Food. I’m sure other trade shows have a similar buzz, but I don’t know that I could personally find myself caught up in the excitement of say, a banking and finance trade show. Walking through Italy to find 60 people crowding a flat screen and screaming for a goal that was just scored is an experience you don’t get all that often living in the states. The comradery among the thousands of exhibitors and buyers makes it all a worthy experience. As I wrote in “Going Yard at a Trade Show” there are right ways of doing a trade show – but with Fancy Food, it’s difficult to go wrong.
