NEW YORK, May 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Following an impactful showing for its cohort at the Specialty Food Association (SFA)’s Winter Fancy Food Show, (included) CPG, a collective of BIPOC founders and executives in consumer packaged goods, will return to the Summer Fancy Food Show in June 2024. Featuring thousands of new specialty food products from around the world, educational programming, events, and networking opportunities, the Show will run June 23-25 at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City.
“Working with (included) has helped the Specialty Food Association elevate product and supplier diversity at the Fancy Food Shows, which creates opportunities for fruitful connections between exhibitors in the (included) cohort and the buyers and distributors who come to our Shows looking for incredible products and inspiring stories,” said SFA President Bill Lynch. “Specialty food is, by definition, a celebration of diversity, and we are grateful to (included) for their work to elevate BIPOC makers whose food and beverage products help make our Shows so dynamic and successful.”
The exhibitors from (included) are:
The (included) cohort and leaders look ahead to the Show:
“The allyship of industry leaders like Bill Lynch and the Specialty Food Association is essential to advancing our impact as an organization. Closing the opportunity gap for founders of color is central to our mission to shift the retail landscape towards more equitable representation of our nation’s diverse cultural fabric. Each innovative brand selected for the (included) Fancy Food Show Cohort receives a game-changing sponsorship and direct access to decision-makers and media; but our partnership with the SFA amplifies BIPOC voices across the CPG ecosystem.” Victoria Ho; founder Sherpa CPG; leadership team (included)
“The Fancy Food Show has been a beacon on our horizon since our company’s inception, yet we hesitated, feeling unprepared. Joining (Included) has illuminated the transformative power of seizing such opportunities—a true turning point for our business. It’s surreal, almost like a dream unfolding. We’re deeply grateful to be part of this collective, amplifying the voices and standards of BIPOC founders in the CPG industry. Can’t wait to make waves in our hometown, NYC!” Nishchal Banksota, Founder and CEO, Nepal Tea Company
“Being part of a community that makes you feel included (pun intended) is a great experience. Included is not just a word; it’s a space for BIPOC founders to gain an equal voice in CPG. This sponsorship opportunity allows us to showcase our commitment to producing healthy dairy-free foods and offers potential retailers and investors a unique chance to be part of our journey.” Joshua Velasquez, Founder, Shire’s Naturals
“We never could have imagined the connections, community, platform, access, and opportunities that would be enabled through (included)CPG. And a sponsorship at SFA’s Fancy Food Show is an extraordinary convergence of it all! Thank you SFA and (included)CPG for the opportunity to showcase Aaji’s and our family’s specialty Tomato Lonsa!” Poorva Korde, Co-Founder, Aaji’s
“Our family has worked really hard to share something special with our local community and build a compelling business opportunity from scratch. We’ve reached a point, however, where we’re gated by access to the buyers, distributors, and other industry partners who can help share our products with a broader regional or national community. The opportunity to exhibit at Summer Fancy Food, establish ourselves in the market at this level, and connect with that critical audience of decision makers is simply priceless and were both humbled and thrilled to have earned the opportunity to do so in June with the SFA and (included).” Joshua Johnson, Co-Founder and CEO, Poppa’s Custard Company
The Summer Fancy Food Show is specialty food’s premier product discovery event, and is open only to qualified members of the specialty food trade, industry affiliates, and journalists. For more information, click here.
About (included)
Founded in 2020 as a gathering place for leaders of color in the natural foods industry, (included) is a non-profit organization that has become the nation’s largest collective of BIPOC founders and executives in CPG food and beverage. (included) is invested in amplifying the voices of its systemically underrepresented members, as well as driving visibility and sustainable growth for the brands they lead. The organization is committed to advocating for racial equity across the CPG ecosystem, with a goal of reshaping the retail landscape to reflect the US population. Its flagship sponsorship programs have provided members with unprecedented access to growth opportunities and industry decision-makers. Learn more and join the community at includedcpg.com
About the Specialty Food Association
The Specialty Food Association (SFA) was founded in 1952 and is the not-for-profit trade association of the $207-billion specialty food industry. Representing more than 3,800 businesses worldwide, SFA champions industry participation and success for a diverse community of makers, buyers, importers, distributors, and service providers by developing resources, information, education, and events that celebrate innovation and inclusivity. SFA owns and operates the Fancy Food Shows as well as the sofi™ Awards, which have honored excellence in specialty food and beverage annually since 1972. The SFA also produces the e-newsletter SFA News Daily, the Trendspotter Panel annual predictions and Fancy Food Show reports, the State of the Specialty Food Industry Report, Today’s Specialty Food Consumer research, and the Spill & Dish podcast. Find out more online and connect with SFA on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.
SOURCE Specialty Food Association
