CPG and food trade shows are the perfect way to introduce your brand to retail partners. Here's a taste of the top consumer packaged goods events in 2023.
Pop quiz: what's the most recent CPG or food trade show you attended?
If you can't recall, it's probably time to put a few conferences on your calendar.
Because giving retailers a taste of what makes your brand special means meeting face-to-face.
From national and regional retail chains to specialty grocers, food trade shows are the perfect place to make an impact on buyers. Not to mention a chance to learn the latest trends from the biggest players in your industry.
Below is our shortlist of the top CPG and food trade shows for brands to check out in 2023.
Note: the shows below are for consumer packaged goods brands but not exclusively foodservice. Still, foodservice professionals do attend these events and many are food-specific!
Note: Expo West's sister show Expo East is September 20-23, 2023 in Philadelphia, PA.
Natural Expo West focuses on exhibiting natural and organic lifestyle products. Attracting a staggering 57,000 attendees in 2022, this is the ideal trade show for CPG brands looking to catch the attention of health-conscious retailers.
If you want to meet as many buyers and distributors as possible, Natural Expo West is the place to be. Beyond networking opportunities, the show is known for showcasing the latest consumer product trends and innovative ideas for brands to bring back home.
Source: @natprodexpo
If this is your first CPG trade show, just know that Expo West is much larger than Expo East. Expo West is geared toward brands looking to connect with national buyers. On the flip side, Expo East is better suited for first-timers at trade shows. Still, both events are big!
The Fancy Food Show features thousands of exhibitors sampling the latest specialty food and beverage products for attendees. Past events have welcomed 2,600+ exhibitors featuring over 200,000 food items.
Spanning more than 40 product categories, the event welcomes food brands of all shapes and sizes. The trade show offers networking events and education opportunities for attendees and exhibitors to learn from industry experts with the show’s talks, workshops and tastings.
The latest Winter Fancy Food Show featured expert talks on shipping, the supply chain, CPG branding and so much more.
Source: @specialtyfoodassociation
If you’re up for the challenge, enter the event's specialty food pitch competition to prove that you're the next big thing. This is one of the best food and beverage conferences for up-and-coming brands to attend (especially if your endgame is to get featured in specialty grocery stores).
Living up to its namesake, BevNET caters exclusively to beverage brands.
The event's focus? Educating beverage business owners on how to innovate.
This event is the go-to place to learn new trends and actionable lessons from experts to take your brand to the next level. The 2022 conference's stacked lineup of speakers included founders and CEOs from big-time beverage brands like Celsius, GHOST and Klaus.
Source: @bevnet
There's no shortage of taste-testing opportunities at a beverage trade show as big as BevNET. Sample bars showcase products in front of potential buyers, making this a trade show for brands to attend as an exhibitor or a guest.
Pro-tip: if you plan to exhibit at this show, make sure your booth is on point and stocked with samples.
FOUNDERMADE focuses on discovery and growth for wellness, food and beauty brands. This CPG event emphasizes innovation and leadership in the direct-to-consumer space.
The show offers a chance to get in front of 2,000+ retailers, distributors, influencers and investors. If you want to keep a strong pulse on DTC trends and network with fellow brands in the wellness space, this is the trade show for you.
Source: @foundermade
The National Restaurant Association Show is the ultimate trade show for professionals in the restaurant and culinary industries. Here you'll learn and see firsthand the latest equipment, supplies, tech and products in the space. The 2023 show is focused on helping brands in foodservice bounce back.
In-person demos from chefs and mixologists are cornerstones of this event. Oh, and don't sleep on the networking opportunities such as the Young Professionals Party and Industry Night Out.
For food and CPG brands in the Midwest, this is your chance to mingle with restaurant owners and seek out potential partnerships.
Note: There is a second show in Atlantic City that takes place September 10-12, 2023.
The Philly Candy Show is an event dedicated to the specialty confectionery industry. The event serves as an opportunity for retail, wholesale and manufacturing professionals to get a look into new trends and items offered in the space.
All types of candy, equipment and packaging are featured at the show. If your brand delivers sweet treats, don’t miss this trade show.
And yes, the Philly Candy Shows do take place in New Jersey!
NOSH Live is an annual conference for the natural food industry. Here you’ll find hundreds of natural food professionals attending to see experts talk about their past experiences and predict the future of natural products. The event welcomes founders, mid-stage brands and retailers alike.
This trade show is known for fostering conversations about innovation, investment knowledge, branding and marketing in the natural food space. Attend if you’re looking to network and get firsthand insights from industry leaders. From pitch competitions to product sampling, there's so much to experience throughout the event.
As the leading event for grocery and CPG products, Groceryshop is a can’t-miss conference.
With thousands of startups, supermarkets, investors and grocery retailers attending, this trade show is one of the best places to meet buyers. Past guests include executives from Alibaba, Sam's Club, 7-Eleven and Albertson's.
Groceryshop offers attending brands a breakdown of new trends, technology and business strategies to advance their businesses. If you’re in the growth stage, this is the perfect place to learn about CPG marketing, technology, merchandising, the supply chain and store operations.
Below is a 2022 event recap that highlights why Groceryshop is the go-to grocery trade show for brands that want to stay competitive.
As a gluten-free, allergy and specialty diet event, Nourished Festival celebrates a growing niche within the food and beverage industry.
Source: @nourishedfestival
With 100+ brands providing samples and discounted gluten-free products, this trade show is suited for companies catering to customers with special diets. This event is also a great spot to meet retailers and businesses on the hunt for new allergy-friendly products.
No matter which food or CPG brand you represent, there’s a trade show for you!
We've been to our fair share of events like the ones above. If you're itching for inspiration and new ideas to grow your business, we can't recommend trade shows enough. The ability to network with others in your industry and score free samples is awesome!
Beyond trade shows, consider how more and more CPG brands are stepping up their influencer marketing efforts to build awareness and get in front of new customers. For example, UGC ads featuring real people and viral products are all the rage right now across TikTok and Instagram.
If you're ready to ramp up your own influencer presence, consider how Statusphere can help.
Our platform is built to help consumer brands partner to generate authentic creator content at scale. Our software and vetted creator network have already generated 75,000+ pieces of content for brands.
Want to learn about how our platform works? Get in touch with one of our experts to see how we can scale your micro-influencer marketing efforts in a fraction of the time.
This article was first published in June 2019. It was last updated October 22, 2022.
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