Specialty Food Association cancels 2020 Summer Fancy Food Show

Event could not continue due to COVID-19 pandemic, use of NYC’s Javits Center for patients.

The Specialty Food Association’s Summer Fancy Food Show, originally scheduled for June 28-30 at the Jacob Javits Center in New York, will not take place as planned.

The SFA said canceling the Summer Fancy Food Show was a result of the national and global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, associated travel restrictions, and the Javits Center’s service in fighting the pandemic that impacts the facility’s availability.

The association said its immediate priority is to guide member exhibitors and registered attendees through a process of receiving refunds or credits for the show. An extensive outreach campaign is underway to all exhibitor members and attendees. More information can be found at the 2020 Summer Fancy Food Show Refund Center.

“As the leader in the future of food movement, our responsibility is to serve our members through good times and bad,” said SFA President Phil Kafarakis. “Our legacy is one of connecting the global specialty food industry – makers, buyers and distributors – and we’re assessing ways to create an engaging environment for that, outside of the Fancy Food Show.”

To that end, the SFA is evaluating alternative formats for later in the year that would help its members maintain their business footing during these unprecedented times.

“Our mission remains getting specialty food makers and their amazing products in front of buyers and consumers,” Kafarakis said.

The SFA is currently running webinars, including one recently on the CARES Act, in an “Ask-The-Experts” series. All webinar content is recorded and available on the SFA online Learning Center where an extensive library of tools for business continuity are available.

The SFA is also further developing their Product Marketplace resource center of specialty food products that maker members and buyers use to connect. This is especially important as everyone works to maintain business continuity in these times of slowdown and shutdown. “We’re a community beyond the Fancy Food Show,” Kafarakis said. “We have a lot to offer our members and our industry.”