NEW YORK — Vegan black truffle brie and beet juice-infused granola were among hundreds of products featured from start-up brands at the Summer Fancy Food Show, held June 30-July 2 in New York. New to the event this year was Incubator Village, featuring 80 early-stage businesses from 11 food and beverage incubators and test kitchens across the country.
“Small emerging brands — innovative and totally focused on what consumers want — are leading trends, but it can be difficult to succeed in the food industry,” said Phil Kafarakis, president of the Specialty Food Association, which produces the Fancy Food Shows. “Food incubators give new and passionate entrepreneurs a solid chance to enter the marketplace by providing them with opportunities to test concepts and create successful product launches.”
Dozens more first-time exhibitors peppered the show floor, showcasing products made with plant ingredients or upcycled food waste. North Carolina upstart Glean, L.L.C. highlighted a line of one-ingredient vegetable flours and powders made from beets, sweet potatoes, pumpkin or cauliflower. The products may be used in baking applications or as a thickener in soups, sauces or smoothies, according to the company. Glean sources imperfect produce from farmers that would otherwise be discarded.
Rind Snacks, New York, offers a line of “skin-on superfruit” snacks, featuring sun-dried fruits with the fiber-rich peels attached and no added sugars or sulfites. Varieties include Tangy Kiwi, Orchard Blend, with persimmon, apple and peach; and Tropical Blend, featuring orange, pineapple and kiwi. The product line was inspired by founder Matt Weiss’s great-grandmother, a health food shop owner who, Mr. Weiss said, “let nothing go to waste and used every part of the produce, including the rind.”
Read on for more standout start-ups at the Summer Fancy Food Show.