Fresno, California – The 2015 Fresno Food Expo, will be held next Wednesday and Thursday, July 22-23, 2015. More than 120 of the top San Joaquin Valley food growers, manufacturers and processors will be on display to the more than 750 local, regional, national and international food industry buyers, as well as an anticipated crowd of over 1,000 members of the public who will gather to discover and support the businesses that make up the San Joaquin Valley’s rich food production industry.
Now in its fifth year, the Fresno Food Expo has evolved into a powerful platform for Valley-based food and beverage producers to network, share industry relationships, create new business contacts and increase exposure to broaden their markets, all leading to increased sales opportunities for Valley companies. It has introduced 197 different Valley-based food and beverage companies to new customers and hosted 1,467 different buyers, including more than 100 international buyers – all numbers that will grow after this year’s event.
Activities for the Fresno Food Expo begin on Wednesday, July 22, 2015 with Grower and Manufacturer site tours set up exclusively for buyers who will be visiting the region to discover new companies through the Expo. Sponsor and exhibitor set-up will begin at 8 a.m. A VIP Reception will be held at The Grand in downtown Fresno that evening as an opportunity to welcome the buyers who will be attending the Expo and recognize the 2015 Fresno Food Expo sponsors who help make this entirely industry-funded event possible.
Then, on Thursday, July 23, 2015, more than 750 buyers will have a chance to meet with top food and beverage producers from throughout the eight-county San Joaquin Valley region during the business-to-business portion of the Expo from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. The 2015 Fresno Food Expo will conclude with the public event from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. where the public will have the chance to see, taste and discover local products that are grown and manufactured here in the San Joaquin Valley.
Media planning to cover the Fresno Food Expo must obtain media credentials to gain access into the event. To request a media credential or to arrange interviews in advance, please email Ashlee Wolf at ashlee@cohencommunications.com or call (559) 916-5101. Media Credentials are for working media only and will grant access to both the buyer and public portion of the Fresno Food Expo.
Below is a timeline list of what activities will be taking place as part of the 2015 Fresno Food Expo.
TIMELINE OF ACTIVITIES:
WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2015
8:00 a.m. CONVENTION CENTER SET-UP
Fresno Convention & Entertainment Center, New Exhibit Hall, 848 M Street
Footage of event set-up will be available on Wednesday, July 22, 2015 from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Please call ahead of time to arrange interviews with exhibitors and/or an Expo representative.
8:30 a.m. GROWER AND MANUFACTURER SITE TOURS
Multiple sites throughout Fresno County from 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
These tours are open to pre-registered buyers who have signed up to attend. Media access will not be available; however, buyer interviews may be arranged in advance.
6:00 p.m. VIP RECEPTION
The Grand – 1401 Fulton Mall
Open to all pre-registered buyers and sponsors of the Fresno Food Expo, the VIP Reception will feature live cooking stations hosted by our region’s leading food producers and manufacturers. Local celebrity chefs from Erna’s Eldeberry House, The Cracked Pepper and Dusty Buns will prepare innovative, new menu offerings from local products that can only be found on the Fresno Food Expo show floor. Media attendance must be pre-arranged.
THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2015
FRESNO FOOD EXPO BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS EVENT
7:30 a.m. BUYER’S BREAKFAST
Fresno Convention & Entertainment Center, New Exhibit Hall, 848 M Street
Buyer check-in and registration opens at 7:30 a.m. at which time buyers and sponsors of the Fresno Food Expo will receive vouchers for a complimentary breakfast made with all Fresno Food Expo products, prepared by chef Jimmy Pardini of Pardini’s Catering & Banquets. The breakfast buffet will be set up right inside the M Street entrance where there will be tables inside.
9:00 a.m. FRESNO FOOD EXPO BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS EVENT
Fresno Convention & Entertainment Center, New Exhibit Hall, 848 M Street
An expected 750 pre-qualified regional, national and international foodservice and retail buyers, restaurant chefs and institutions will be in attendance to meet with the more than 120 food and beverage growers, manufacturers and processors from across the eight-county San Joaquin Valley. This portion of the Expo is closed to the public.
9:30 a.m. WELCOME BY FRESNO MAYOR ASHLEY SWEARENGIN & JULIUS ROBINSON, UNION BAN
10:00 a.m. NEW PRODUCT AWARDS PRESENTED BY Baker Peterson Franklin, CPA, LLP
Buyer’s Choice Award Judging Round
During an exclusive New Product Awards preview event earlier this year, all 32 New Product Award entries were reviewed and ranked by a panel of local food industry leaders, who then narrowed the pool of products to 10 finalists for the Buyer’s Choice Award.
Baloian Farms’ Mini Pepper Dipper Cups, Brandt Farms, Inc.’s Grape Jammers, Busseto Foods’ Natural Salami Snack Cups, Heart Ridge Farms’ Flavored Dry Roasted Almonds, Molucca Chocolate’s Craft Chocolate Bars, Organic Pastures’ Truly Raw Shredded Cheese, Rosa Brothers Milk Company’s Lactose Free Chocolate Milk, Scout Olive Oil’s Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Top O’ the Morn Farms, Inc.’s Farmstead Sweet Cream Butter and Traina Foods’ Siracha Sun Dried Tomato Ketchup were designated the 2015 Buyer’s Choice Award finalists.
These products have advanced to the Celebrity Judging Panel comprised of industry experts and national retail buyers who will determine the Buyer’s Choice Award winner. Panel includes world-renowned chef Erna Kubin-Clanin, owner of 5-star Erna’s Elderberry House and Chateau du Sureau; Whole Foods “local sourcing guru” Harvinder Singh; Direct Store Delivery Receiving Manager and Local Marketing Lead of Albertsons-Safeway Northern California Division, Sean Topping; and Division Manager at leading custom packaging solutions company Landsberg Orora, Jim Jarosz.
1:30 p.m. BUYER’S CHOICE AWARD WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT
Mayor Ashley Swearengin & Erin Goldfarb from Baker Peterson Franklin, CPA, LLP,
presenting sponsor of the 2015 Fresno Food Expo New Product Awards
3:00 p.m. PUBLIC VOTING ENDS FOR PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS
Voting officially closes online and votes will be tallied for an announcement during the public portion of the Fresno Food Expo.
THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2015
FRESNO FOOD EXPO PUBLIC EVENT
5:00 p.m. FRESNO FOOD EXPO PUBLIC EVENT
Fresno Convention & Entertainment Center, New Exhibit Hall, 848 M Street
The public can come see, taste and discover the wide range of locally-produced food, wine, spirits and craft beer. The public can also purchase local products from their favorite exhibitors.
Tickets for public event cost $40 and are available for purchase at www.FresnoFoodExpo.com. Tickets will also be sold at the door for $45 if they have not sold out.
In addition to the more than 120 food and beverage companies that will have their products on display for tasting, The Painted Table will be preparing recipes on the Demonstration Stage presented by Real California Milk and Cheese using all local products donated by Fresno Food Expo Sponsors and exhibitors. The public will have the opportunity to sample these delicious dishes in the stage area and all recipes will be featured in Central Valley Flavors Magazine.
5:30 p.m. WELCOME BY FRESNO MAYOR ASHLEY SWEARENGIN & JULIUS ROBINSON, UNION BANK
6:00 p.m. PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT
Mayor Ashley Swearengin & Erin Goldfarb from Baker Peterson Franklin, CPA, LLP
Public voting for the People’s Choice Award including all 32 products submitted as part of the New Product Awards presented by Baker Peterson Franklin CPA, LLC is taking place from July 9 through July 23 at 2:59 p.m. at the Fresno Food Expo’s Website and Facebook page. Votes are counted by the number of “Likes” on Facebook combined with the votes cast by email through the Fresno Food Expo website and will be announced during the Public Event of the Fresno Food Expo.
8:00 p.m. FRESNO FOOD EXPO ENDS
8:00 p.m. FRESNO FOOD EXPO AFTER PARTY
Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Company Beer Garden, 745 Fulton Street
Join us as we celebrate the close of a great Fresno Food Expo Event with drink specials and the first public release of Tioga Sequoia Brewing Company’s new Cucumber Pilsner.
Source: Fresno Food Expo
