LAS VEGAS — Debuting at the upcoming Winter Fancy Food Show is New Now Next, featuring the newest products from startups and incubators. The Specialty Food Association is dedicating floor space for dozens of early-stage brands during the annual event, held Jan. 15-17 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Incubators slated to exhibit include Community Co-Pack, The Hatchery Chicago, Oregon State University Food Innovation Center and Rutgers Food Innovation Center.
Community Co-Pack, Portland, Ore., is a contract manufacturer that incubates and scales businesses led by women and entrepreneurs of color to “foster a more equitable and inclusive consumer products industry.”
The Hatchery Chicago empowers food and beverage entrepreneurs to build and scale successful businesses while creating sustainable economic growth and new job opportunities locally.
Located in Portland, the Oregon State University Food Innovation Center has a product and process development team, a consumer sensory testing laboratory and food safety hub for education and testing to help regional entrepreneurs, as well as national and international businesses, bring products to market.
The Rutgers Food Innovation Center at Rutgers University in New Jersey offers marketing, technical, regulatory and manufacturing expertise to domestic and international companies seeking support from concept development to commercialization.
Exhibiting companies include FiMi Kingston, a maker of Jamaican jerk seasonings; Great Life by Lucinda, a producer of veggie burger mixes, smoothies, soups and more; Lentiful, a brand of microwavable instant lentil meals; Mindful Proteins, a maker of high-protein food and beverages; Portland Salt Co., a brand of seasoning blends; and TanTan Foods, a Vietnamese sauce brand. Featured startups include CinSoy Foods, a small-batch fermenter of soy sauce and miso; J Plus Specialty Foods, a maker of a Konjac-based jelly snack; Maax Brands, a creator of caffeinated gum; Mantis BBQ, a barbecue sauce brand; Paris Delice, a mousse maker; Poco Kitchen, a brand of globally inspired meals; and Whoa Dough, a brand of gluten-free and plant-based cookie dough bars.
“The Specialty Food Association is excited to debut New Now Next at the upcoming 2023 Winter Fancy Food Show,” said Bill Lynch, president of the Specialty Food Association. “Bringing together incubators with startup companies is a natural decision that makes it easier for buyers and press to sample the newest products, many of which haven’t yet hit the market. These young companies are so important to the specialty food world, bringing innovation and inspiration to our $175 billion industry.”