5 trends worth noting at the Summer Fancy Food Show

Seeds take root in snacks, restaurant chefs peddle their brands and products emerge from new corners of the world.

These were a few of the trends spotted—and tasted—at the 2023 Summer Fancy Food Show, which ran from Sunday through Tuesday in New York City. The 2,000-plus exhibitors showcased thousands of products on two floors of the Javits Centers, trying to catch the attention of specialty food buyers. While most of the exhibits are geared to retail stores, there was plenty to catch the eye of foodservice operators, too.

Hot sauces, cheeses, alcohol-free drinks and plant-based proteins continue to proliferate. But here are five unexpected trends that popped out while walking the floor—all of which could uplift a menu or boost to-go sales.

Crunchy snacks made a big showing at the Summer Fancy Food Show. / All photos: Patricia Cobe

Extra-crunchy snacks

Seeds and unique grains are getting baked into crackers and chips for extra crunch and a health boost. Top Seedz crackers feature six seeds, all gluten-free: Sunflower, sesame, flax, pumpkin, chia and hemp. Chips made with fonio, a West African grain, buckwheat and tempeh are also on the rise, as are snacks like popped lotus seeds and water lily buds.

In another snack category are Wine Chips, with flavors like blue cheese and dry-aged ribeye developed to pair with wine. The newest in the line is furikake chips to pair with sake.

Pre-sliced smoked salmon, ready for any gathering. 

Luxury gets convenient 

Restaurants can upcharge for lobster, even if there are just a few chunks on top of a steak.  Breaded lobster bites from Hancock Lobster Co. come ready to heat and add to a taco, surf ‘n turf entree or fried appetizer plate along with calamari and shrimp.

Another handy product is Latitude 45’s party-ready pre-sliced smoked salmon package, ready to open and display at a catering event, on an appetizer platter or for brunch.

Products with chef or restaurant names add extra appeal. 

Chef- and restaurant-branded products

Notable chefs including José Andrés and Tom Colicchio, as well as restaurants like Carbone and Magnolia Bakery are developing and selling branded products. These include everything from pasta, barbecue and hot sauces, to rubs and spices, frozen tapas and cookies in single-serve packages. There’s a trend toward packing these in foodservice sizes too, such as the Spicewalla brand of seasonings—“a spice company by chefs for chefs”—developed by James Beard nominee Meherwan Irani of Ashville, North Carolina.

The Achatz pie company out of Michigan, run by a cousin of Alinea chef Grant Achatz, is tangentially related. Several of these chefs and restaurants have expanded their lines this year, the new fruit cobblers from Achatz a good example.

Charcuterie boards remain popular, with new twists. 

Spins on charcuterie

During the pandemic, charcuterie boards caught on with housebound consumers and trended on Instagram. Now companies are piquing continued interest with new additions to the lineup. Aussie Select does roast beef, pastrami and rosemary- or masala-spiced ham crafted from pasture-raised lamb instead of pork, all sliced and ready to arrange on a board. Veroni imports authentic pre-sliced Italian charcuterie, including the more popular prosciutto and soppressata as well as regional specialties such as salame Toscano and mortadella with pistachios.

There were also numerous legs of prosciutto and serrano ham in the Italian and Spanish pavilions respectively, sliced to order. And cheese, fruit and dessert "charcuterie" boards.

Consumers are seeking out new-to-them flavors. 

Flavors from new corners of the world

Morocco was the official country partner for the 2023 Show, and Moroccan olive oils, spices and even cookware were all on display and worked into demos.

But flavors and ingredients from other parts of the world are emerging. Hawaiian shaved ice, a long-time frozen treat in the Islands, is now easy to replicate stateside with a machine that resembles a single-serve coffee maker and a line of flavored syrups. Xoconostle spread from a small region in Mexico, which earned a new product award from the Specialty Food Association, is infused with wild sour prickly pear.

Yolele, the company that packages the fonio grain, introduced a line of West African dip mixes and rubs in blends including Scotch bonnet, onion and thyme. And the country of Jordan has joined a host of others in exporting coffee.