Winter FancyFaire 2026

In the context of showcasing high-end and artisanal products, Group Export invites you to participate in the Winter FancyFaire 2026 taking place in San Diego this year. Known as the Winter Fancy Food Show until 2025, this trade show is the largest gathering of specialty, gourmet, ethnic, natural, and organic food industry professionals on the U.S. West Coast.Renamed Winter FancyFaire, this new edition marks a major evolution with an immersive and redesigned format. The 2026 event will offer an enhanced experience: city activations, tasting circuits, creative displays in iconic locations, and outdoor networking spaces.
Objective: to foster more targeted, immersive, and locally anchored interactions.

Why participate?

The Winter FancyFaire attracts a highly qualified professional audience, including decision-makers, specialty buyers, distributors, and opinion leaders seeking exceptional products. The Specialty Food Association (SFA) reports 3,400 professional buyers in 2024, including 617 key buyers involved in 89% of purchasing decisions.

According to the 2024-2025 “State of the Specialty Food Industry” report by the Specialty Food Association (SFA), the professional audience breakdown of Winter FancyFaire is as follows:

• 39% importers/distributors;
• 32% foodservice (restaurants, hotels, cafes);
• 21% retailers (chains, specialty stores, e-commerce);
• Target sales channels: delicatessens (27%), supermarkets (13%), independent grocery stores (9%), online sales (9%).

Participate under the Group Export banner and enjoy the following benefits:

• 100 sq ft booth including: structure, carpet, lighting, and trash bin;
• 4 exhibitor badges;
• 3 tablets;
• 1 counter;
• 1 stool;
• 1 table;
• 2 chairs;
• Event coordination and on-site support provided by a Group Export representative.

Option

•  100 sq ft turnkey booth: $7,500

Market data

According to the Food Consumption in the United States report presented by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, “[…] Per capita spending on food and beverages increased at a CAGR of 4.3% from 2016 to 2020, reaching $3,426.90 USD in 2020. These expenditures are expected to reach $4,019.70 USD in 2025, with a CAGR of 3.2% over the five-year period starting in 2021.”

According to the 2024-25 Specialty Food Association (SFA) report, sales of specialty food products exceeded $207 billion USD in 2023, with projections reaching $221.5 billion USD in 2024. This growth is supported by continued demand in categories such as sauces, spices, fermented products, and craft beverages.

The report also highlights emerging trends, including a focus on functional foods, clean-label products, and sustainable packaging, meeting the growing consumer demand for health and transparency.

Financial assistance for Exhibitors

• Reimbursement of a lump sum travel allowance of 1,250 $ per person, up to a maximum of two allowances per company.
  • To be eligible for a lump sum travel reimbursement, the company must provide proof of travel (e.g.: invoice for a plane, train, or bus ticket including the full itinerary, or a gas receipt near the destination) AND proof of accommodation (e.g.: official hotel or Airbnb invoice).
  • To obtain two travel lump sum travel reimbursement, the same proofs listed above must be submitted for each reimbursement.
    • If the two participants share the same means of transportation (e.g.: carpooling), two separate transportation proofs will be required, showing either the company name or the traveler’s name (e.g.: two invoices).
    • If the two participants share the same accommodation, two separate accommodation proofs will be required (e.g.: two hotel invoices).

• • An additional flat-rate amount of $500 will be granted if your company is located in one of the following regions AND the departure also takes place from that region: Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Côte-Nord, Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, or Nord-du-Québec.
• Financial assistance covering 75% of the additional costs related to your booth setup and the shipment of samples (consolidated with Group Export), up to a maximum of $6,000 of eligible expenses per company.
• Group Export reserves the right to request any additional supporting documents.

By registering for this event, you agree to complete and return the activity report that will be sent to you. You will have 60 days following the event to return the completed report; otherwise, you may be required to reimburse the subsidies received for this activity. The compiled data will be used solely to assess the economic impact of this activity.

Financial assistance for Visitors

Reimbursement of a travel lump sum of $1,250 per company

• To be eligible for a lump sum travel reimbursement, the company must provide proof of travel (e.g.: invoice for a plane, train, or bus ticket including the full itinerary, or a gas receipt near the destination) AND proof of accommodation (e.g.: official hotel or Airbnb invoice).
• An additional flat-rate amount of $500 will be granted if your company is located in one of the following regions AND the departure also takes place from that region: Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Côte-Nord, Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, or Nord-du-Québec.

Group Export reserves the right to request any additional supporting documents.

Cancellation Policy

The Group Export Agri-Food is a non-profit organization who manages export financial programs from the Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation du Québec and from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

As a government program manager, Group Export has defined a general cancellation policy to follow when participating in a trade show. Policy’s details are as follows:

• • In the five days following registration, the company must pay, as a deposit, 50% of participation fees. This amount can be paid by check, direct deposit or credit card by contacting Group Export’s financial department at 450-649-6266. Direct deposits are preferred.
  • The remaining 50% of participation fees must be paid at least 60 days before the activity.

If the company does not respect these terms, Group Export Agri-Food has the right to cancel the company’s participation.

Cancellation by the Company:

• If the company or the Group Export Agri-Food finds a replacing participant, the full amount will be reimbursed, except for a $200 administration fee, as soon as a replacing participant has paid in full the amount due
• In case a substitute cannot be found, all other incurred charges, including 100% of the invoice for a space reservation, would be charged to the company.
• All cancellation requests must be made in writing and be addressed to the person in charge of the activity, whose name appears on the participation form.

This policy was ratified by the Group Export’s Board of Directors on February 14, 2008.

Exhibitor and Visitor Eligibility

To qualify as an exhibitor or visitor, the company must:

• Meet all eligibility criteria for applicable provincial and federal subsidies for this activity;
• Hold a license number from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) or demonstrate that it is not required for its type of business.
• Have a registration number with the Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

Group Export reserves the right to refuse any registration for this activity.