Specialty Foods from Minnesota take Manhattan Stage

St. Paul, MN: Minnesota food and beverage companies will promote their premium and specialty products at the largest specialty food and beverage trade show in North America this month.

Buyers and distributors from around the world will see these companies’ products in the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Minnesota Pavilion at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City June 23-25.

Minnesota Pavilions are a core activity of the MDA’s New Markets Program, which works with Minnesota food companies to expand market reach within the state and beyond.

Pam Zabrok of Tobies Restaurant and Bakery in Hinckley, MN, said they’re excited to join Team Minnesota at the trade show. “We produce a locally-popular Eastern European baked good called potica,” she said. “We’re using this opportunity to travel to New York, to assess whether tradeshows are the right format to help us expand the market reach for this delicious treat.”

Zabrok is taking part in a new mentorship program offered by the MDA’s New Markets Program, which matches up to $500 in travel costs on a one-time basis, allowing small food companies to attend a major tradeshow event prior to investing in a booth as an exhibitor.

Companies exhibiting in the Minnesota Pavilion at this year’s Summer Fancy Food Show include:

• Acme Organics/Triple Crown BBQ Sauce

• in the Kitchen/Flackers

• Freak Flag Foods

• Grandma’s Gourmets

• Henke Foods/Annie B’s

• Hope Products

• Maddy & Maize

• Maud Borup

• Reach Companies

• Route to India

• TC Chocolate

• Wildly Organic