Monday, January 18, 2010

Fanciful Fare

Who: VegNews Office Manager Lyndsay Orwig
Where: Moscone Center, San Francisco, Calif.
When: Sunday, January 17, 2010
Why: To scope out new veg products—food, especially!

The Scoop: It has been rainy and cold in the Bay Area, and I was very tempted to stay home in my bed all day Sunday, and not show my face until the sun came out. Fortunately, I had the Fancy Food Show to coax me out of my slumber, where thousands of exhibitors present their food products and services to retailers and the press. Luckily, I knew what I was getting myself into after experiencing last year's show, so I came prepared with my umbrella in hand, a backpack securely on my shoulders, and an empty stomach.

This show is huge, with samples at almost every booth, so you need a strategy to survive the show without blowing up. My plan of action? Make a beeline to the natural- and organic-foods section. That's where all the new, awesome, veg goodies hang out, right?

There were a lot of familiar faces this year, including Annie Chun's, Edward & Sons—watch out for new waffle cones—and Xan Confections. A couple of my personal favorites were Follow Your Heart's vegan cheesecake, and the grain meats at the Field Roast booth—the coconut breaded cutlet alone made my day. Unfortunately, the majority of the show is not vegetarian, but I left feeling satisfied to say the least. The Fancy Food Show is always a great preview for the upcoming Expo West, which will be held in Los Angeles this March, and will feature natural and vegetarian food galore. Yes, I'm already preparing my backpack and stomach—but I'm hoping to leave my umbrella at home.

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