Vegan Chocolate Sauce? Mushroom Appetizer? 12 Finds from New York’s Summer Fancy Food Show

Can’t resist that jar of artisanal chili chips? Are you willing to shell out $10 for a bottle of water “restructured” with quartz crystals? Maybe you’re committed to a plant-based diet or want to buy food with a mission. Either way, you’re in good company.

Specialty foods, a category comprised of unique or artisanal foods and beverages made from high-quality ingredients sourced from suppliers around the world, have never been more appealing to American consumers.

According to the Specialty Food Association, which held its Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City during the last week of June, U.S. specialty food sales through retail, foodservice and e-commerce are projected to reach a whopping $206.8 billion in 2023. That’s up more than 6% from about $195 billion in 2022.

As evidenced by the many products on display at the show, we are hungry more than ever, not only for innovative flavors that excite the palate—sometimes in unexpected ways (e.g. mushroom-infused appetizers or protein-enriched coffee)—but also for healthy, earth-friendly, and sustainably produced foods and beverages.

More than 2,000 specialty food producers from more than 60 countries showcased new and not-so-new products at the sprawling show, which took up two levels of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. After walking more than 40,000 aisles over nearly three days, during which I sampled half my weight in imported Italian cheeses and fresh-cut prosciutto, here are some early observations:

—Plant-based proteins and organic and gluten-free foods and snacks continue to grow in popularity. Products include everything from cauliflower chips and chef-prepared packaged vegan soups to savory vegan protein bars and sticks, plant-based cheese slices, oat-based granola butter and Lentiful’s protein- and fiber-rich “instant lentils.” (Just add water, stir and microwave.) Non-GMO is another buzzword.

—Prebiotic and probiotic drinks and sodas that support gut health are also on the rise. Examples include ReCoup’s gut-health rehydrating sparkling beverages and Reset Kombucha’s powdered drink mixes. Protein-enriched foods are also dominating. Projos’ Power Coffee instant coffee (organic, of course) has 12 grams of complete protein along with 175 mg of caffeine and is infused with collagen, which can help reduce joint inflammation and prevent pain. Wilde Chicken & Waffles protein chips are made with chicken breast, egg whites, and bone broth.

—Americans still like to spice things up; hot sauces, spicy honey, and chili-based condiments are still in vogue. Multicultural sauces that bring a piece of the world’s culinary heritage to the table seem particularly trendy. Two notable examples are Salsa Macha made with Chingonas oil from Mexico and Djablo Filipino hot sauce, the first Filipino hot sauce produced in small batches by a family business in the United States.

—Dry January is not an isolated case. Mocktails remain trendy, and unique and exotic drinks like bubble tea and boba (Asian tea drinks served with tapioca pearls) are gaining popularity. At the show, these drinks were available in both cans and “instant” tea kits.

—Sustainability continues to be a factor for many consumers, both in packaging and portioning to avoid food waste.

—Nostalgia is in. Consumers want products that come from a place they know, with a personal story – for example, a salsa or ravioli inspired by a family recipe or a sauce from a famous restaurant.

Flavors to try

It was impossible for a journalist to see and taste everything at the 68th show, but here are those that caught my attention and/or dazzled my taste buds:

Flour and Olive Cake Mixes: Former lawyer Estelle Sohne created her line of premium cake mixes made with extra virgin olive oil to celebrate cultural diversity. Olive oil, she points out, is a symbol of peace and sustainability. “I wanted to bring people together around cake as a vehicle for collaboration through recipes that celebrate cultural diversity and global connection.”

To that end, an interactive website with more than 70 international recipes allows bakers to use the four blends with other ingredients to create cakes from around the world, complete with a downloadable custom label. “My mission is to put us all on the same table,” she says, “with our differences and our similarities.” The chocolate cake was particularly delicious.

VICUS water: Did you know that modern methods of preparing drinking water disrupt the natural arrangement of water molecules? Me neither. This product “restructures” Canadian natural mineral water back to its original state using quartz crystals. The end result is water that tastes smoother and silkier, and costs $9 per 750 ml bottle.

Lonsa d’Aaji: Salsa That’s not the only thing worth dipping. Each 8-ounce container of this spicy, sweet, and tangy condiment made in small batches in Philadelphia contains 1 pound of fresh tomatoes cooked with a distinct blend of coastal Indian spices. The recipes are based on co-founder Rajus Korde’s grandmother’s recipe for lonsa tomatoes. (“Aaji” means “grandmother” in Marathi.) They can be spread on sandwiches, spooned over toast, or add a wonderful umami flavor to eggs.

Cauliflower : Just like Lay’s potato chips, you can’t get enough of just one of these gluten-free, non-GMO puffed chips made with corn, rice, and cauliflower. The fact that they’re cooked in the healthy fat of avocado oil means you’ll feel less guilty when you eat a bag of them on the couch.

Masala BBQ Sauce with Tamarind Heads: This next-gen sauce was named the 2024 Best BBQ Sauce of the Show for a reason: It’s pretty incredible. Created to celebrate the culinary versatility of tamarind, a sweet and tangy pod-shaped legume, it’s a refreshing take on the ubiquitous summer condiment that offers a hint of smokiness, a touch of sweetness, and a touch of heat.

Ceybon Chill AF: This mushroom-infused, nonalcoholic aperitif is supposed to promote calm and relaxation. It’s bright and spicy and really interesting—think of a bubbly “gin and tonic” that’s good for you. It costs $40 per bottle, but it’s multifunctional: You can drink it neat, over ice, or use it as a mixer.

MMMMJerky: Most varieties of beef jerky are chewy. This teriyaki-flavored beef snack, made with USDA Prime beef brisket, has the unique crunch of a potato chip. One bite and you’ll be hooked. The crispy, flavorful fat of the beef dissolves on your tongue as you bite into it, instantly making you want more.

Oishii Omakase Strawberries: It’s hard to believe that these delicate, extremely sweet berries, native to the foothills of the Japanese Alps, are grown vertically in New Jersey. At about $2 apiece, they’re truly a luxury, more suited to topping a fancy dessert than a bowl of Cheerios. But the berries’ incredible aroma, sweet taste, and creamy texture make them worth the splurge.

Pizza Genius: It’s pretty hard to find a frozen pizza that doesn’t taste like a cardboard pizza topped with cheese and sauce. These Neapolitan pizzas, hand-stretched and baked in a wood-fired oven in Italy, are the exception. The slow-rising dough is soft in the center and chewy on the edges, and the plum tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella are top-notch and full of flavor.

Sunday Night Vegan Chocolate Sauce: Want to indulge your chocolate craving without the guilt? This silky, small-batch vegan chocolate sauce bills itself as “the ultimate plant-based indulgence.” Made with Callebaut unsweetened chocolate and cocoa, coconut oil and cream, and certified vegan cane sugar, the claim is justified. It tastes like the one my mom used to make over ice cream during the holidays. No wonder it won an SFA award for best dessert topping.

Natural Blonde Bloody Mary Mix: The label hints at the brilliant ingredient that makes this Bloody Mary mix such a hit. Born in the Lowcountry region of South Carolina, it’s made from fresh, sun-ripened golden tomatoes, which are sweeter and less acidic than red tomatoes. The mix also contains no paste or artificial ingredients and is low in sodium. It comes in golden and spicy flavors.