58th Summer Fancy Food Show/ NASFT

The 58th annual NASFT in Washington D.C. was a hit!

Quick Stats:
2250 companies
15,000 visitors
32 categories,
The fastest growing segment of the U.S. food market: $75 BL industry sets new records.

Facts:
60% U.S. consumers shop specialty foods @ and average of $90 per week.
25-34 years is the central consumer age group..
Coffee, chocolate, and tea are top 3 most shopped items. Olive Oil and Cheese enjoyed a popular response.
The latter, in fact, accounts for nearly 50% of all “favorite food” purchases in U.S. Nearly 50% of all Cheese purchased by U.S. consumers is U.S. made.
Local Products for the home, restaurants, and institutions is a trend.

African Americans, Asian, Caribbean, Native American and Middle Eastern entrepreneurs have made many inroads into the industry in 2012.
Women-owned businesses in the food category up significantly in 2011. Women reign over men in food shopping ($94 vs.$86 per week). Minority segments are also increasing in this market.

Facebook and On-Line buying is becoming the preferred way to shop this segment.

Italy, by far, the largest presenter with 230 vendors/ booths, with a 14% gain in 2011 vs. 2010.
According to Luca Franchetti Pardo, Dept. Chief of Italy’s Mission in U.S., Italy’s market share in U.S. in 2011 for imported wines=$1.5 BL, a 9% increase over 2010, which = nearly 1/3 of all imports in this category.
Other leading Italian products include Olive Oil at 56% market share;
Pasta at 30.4%, and Cheese at 28.9%

20 regions of Italy represented here.

Verona, part of the Veneto region (includes Lake Garda, Padua, Treviso, Venice and Vicenza) stood out with native products: Polenta, Gnocchi and Risotto, along with top-selling wines including Volpolicella, Amarone, Soave, Merlot, Cabernet, Pinot and Chardonnay that were available for tasting.

For more info on Italy’s
products call Italian Trade Commission In New York try: 212-980-1500 or
www.italtrade.com