We’re a little over a month into summer and we’ve already had a few heatwaves. That being said, the abundant rain has kept the grass green, our veggies, fruits and flowers growing and our reservoirs full. Don’t forget to hydrate and apply sunscreen if you’re in the garden or spending time on the beach. Either way, enjoy this carefree time of year with those who make you smile.
Summer’s kickoff came in the form of the Specialty Food Association’s (SFA) 69th Summer Fancy Food Show, held June 29-July 1 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan.
Lots of incubator products could be found in Debut District, a buzzy area dedicated to the newest of the new at the show. Also exhibiting and attracting attention were import/distributing companies whose clients are primarily Asian or Hispanic. They were buzzing with high energy selling too.
“The Summer Fancy Food Show is the Specialty Food Association’s marquee event, and this year’s event showed that the appetite for specialty foods is growing even amid economic uncertainty,” said SFA president Bill Lynch. “We saw notable increases in attendance from retail buyers, investors, foodservice, and press, who were eager to meet the passionate people behind the brands and experience the latest innovations in specialty foods, a market that’s projected to hit $231 billion in 2025.”
The Fancy Food Show is all about trends and this year’s were in your face kind of trends. For me, I saw tin fish (and not your everyday tuna), Dubai chocolate with pistachios, and olive oil at every turn. Olive oil? Hasn’t that already become a part of our Mediterranean Diet way of life? Alas, the trusty olive now has competition, and it was all over the show. More on that at another time.
In addition, the SFA Trendspotter Panel was out in force throughout the show. One trend that caught my eye was the growth of “global convenience.” Globalization has facilitated the widespread availability of convenience foods across different countries, making them accessible to a wider consumer base. Some key aspects of global convenience products are they must be: timesaving; easy to prepare; readily available; have a large variety; and of course, have global reach. Driving this trend are: busy lifestyles; urbanization; evolving dietary preferences; and the interconnectedness of global markets facilitating the availability and distribution of convenience foods worldwide. It’s a big world out there, and the specialty food industry is definitely here for it.
Lastly, continuing the generosity of the exhibitors, the SFA operates an Exhibitor Food Donation Program in partnership with City Harvest to ensure that unused food is provided to New Yorkers in need. This year, 84,015 pounds on 99 pallets of specialty food were donated by SFA members. Nice! The SFA shows for 2026 can be found on our Trade Calendar on page 2.
Norwalk, CT was a busy place on July 23 as Wegmans opened its 114th store; its first in the Constitution State. At 92,000 square feet and with two-story parking, 12 Tesla charging stations, and solar panels, the store was busy on opening day, with the Wegman family in attendance. This time around, they brought the fourth generation with them. Bode Wehle and Rebecca Kerr-Jarret made their first grand opening appearance and were all smiles greeting people like they had been doing this all their lives. And as always, tweaks were made to the sales floor, but overall, the store is a beauty with an open bazaar kind of feel. Good luck in Connecticut!
Wakefern held its inaugural local produce summit July 9 at the New Jersey Expo and Convention Center bringing together local farmers, growers, and industry leaders for a day of networking, panel discussions with Wakefern members who operate ShopRite stores, industry leaders and local suppliers, and one-on-one meetings with the produce procurement teams. This event was part of the ongoing effort to expand partnerships with regional suppliers. Wakefern is known for supporting local businesses and brands, and supplier summits are in line with the cooperative’s mission to help small businesses succeed in a big business world. Wakefern has hosted similar supplier summits in the past to find new locally made products. (They are also hosting a 2026 Local Wellness Supplier Summit this fall.) The one-day event included special presentations by Wakefern leaders in produce sourcing and quality assurance, panels whose participants included Hudson River Fruit Distributors, Minkus Family Farms, Frank Donio Inc., and The Masser Family of Companies. Attendees then had the opportunity to do “speed meetings” with existing growers to learn more about what it’s like to work with Wakefern.
“Wakefern’s Produce Local Supplier Summit is another way to help small- and mid-size local growers bring their fresh produce to our stores,” said Mark Van Buskirk, group vice president of fresh for Wakefern. “ShopRite stores are owned and operated by families who belong to our supermarket cooperative and live and work in the communities where their stores operate. We want local farmers and growers to know we are here and committed to being farm fresh. We want to work with them.” He added, “We have passion about our products, our partners, our communities and the customers they serve. That’s the magic of Wakefern.”
They hope to increase the attendance in the years to come. From what I can tell, they’re off to a great start!
Both the New Jersey Food Council (NJFC) and the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association (PFMA) have awarded college scholarships to deserving students during this graduation season. The New Jersey Food Council’s (NJFC) Educational Development Scholarship Foundation held a virtual reception with the winners of $97,500 to further students’ dreams, goals and career aspirations, the next generation of business and food industry leaders. Since the inception of the scholarship program in 2011, the three original NJFC scholarships have grown to 31 awards with NJFC and member company scholarships totaling $97,500.
“We are incredibly proud of this year’s scholarship recipients, selected from an outstanding pool of 177 applicants,” said NJFC chair Jason Read of Wawa. “These scholarships recognize not only academic excellence, but also the students’ dedication to creating a meaningful impact in their communities, to making a difference in the world and to advancing our industry’s future.”
The PFMA awarded 21 recipients with the 2025 Thomas R. and Laura Ridge Scholarship. “Each student will receive a one-year, $2,500 scholarship for the 2025-26 academic year. “Congratulations to this year’s scholarship recipients,” said Alex Baloga, president and CEO of PFMA. “We’re proud to support these exceptional students as they pursue their goals. Their drive, talent, and determination reflect the very best of our industry’s future, and we’re honored to invest in their success.”
Current employees, their children, and the children of company owners who are PFMA members are eligible to apply for the scholarship. Named for the parents of former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, the Ridge Scholarship honors Thomas R. Ridge, a member of the food industry for 25 years, and his wife Laura, a great advocate of education for Tom Ridge, his brother David and sister Vikki. PFMA has awarded over $1.3 million to nearly 654 students since introducing the scholarship in 1995. Scholarship funds come from PFMA’s Education Trust and sponsoring PFMA members The Giant Company, Karns Foods, Rutter’s, and Sheetz. Congratulations to all the winners!
Celebrating another trip around the hot July sun are: Jim McCaffrey III, McCaffrey’s Markets; Mike Rothwell, Pennington Market; Joe Fantozzi, Allegiance Retail Services; Ron S. Murphy, Murphy’s Fresh Markets; Maurice Christino, Cento Foods; Wayne Couts, Advantage Sales; Dr. Joe D’Angelo, SJU; and special birthday wishes to my son, Gino Marfuggi. Buon compleanno a tutti!
Quote of the month: “It’s a smile, it’s a kiss, it’s a sip of wine…it’s summertime!” Kenny Chesney
Maria can be reached at [email protected] or 443.631.0172.
