All the solar welcome of San Diego, and an exceptional location like the San Diego Convention Center, will be this year the “winter house” of the fair dedicated to food and drink specialties.
Changing clothes and naming for the Winter Fancy Food, one of the most important trade fairs in North America and, according to many professionals, today one of the most authoritative in the world.
Along with its summer version, the Summer Fancy Food is one of the most important global events for the whole agri-food sector.
An event owned by the Specialty Food Association, the main food network in the United States, founded in 1952 in New York by importers and entrepreneurs: a non-profit association that counts over 3,000 members in the United States and abroad.
The Italian Pavilion, organized and curated by Universal Marketing, an exclusive agent for Italy of the Specialty Food Association, once again represents a unique opportunity for Italian producers to get in touch with the international market, showing the best of the gastronomic tradition and innovation of our country.
The Italian Pavilion, for decades is a symbol of excellence and a point of reference for the promotion of Made in Italy in the agri-food sector, will be located in a strategic position, at the entrance of the international area, and will host 80 stands for a total of about 60 participating companies, distributed on a net surface of over 800 square meters.
Inside will be the ICE Lounge, with areas dedicated to Salumi & Formaggi, the Italian Aperitivo and the Coffee, designed to enhance the best gastronomic excellence of our country.
Four Italian Regions will also participate: Piedmont, Lazio, Calabria and Sicily each with a representation of their own distinctive branches.
The official opening ceremony of the Italian Pavilion will be held during the opening day of the fair.
In the first 8 months of 2025 and despite the new tariff policies, exports to the US amounted to 5.7 billion dollars, with an increase of 1.8% and a market share of 3.5%, decreasing compared to the same period of the previous year (3.7%). Products such as water, pasta, vegetable preserves, processed meat are always at the top of American consumption preferences by contributing to the fourth absolute position for the Italian export of the sector, after Mexico, Canada and Brazil. Despite the generally positive trend of imports from Italy, some categories recorded import reductions compared to the first 8 months of 2024: wine -2,7%, oil -12,5%, cheese -15%, vinegar -15%, ice cream -0.9%.
With the introduction of the Winter FancyFaire*, the first new fair launched over 25 years, it is really a great pleasure to be able to collaborate once again with our historical partners from Italy and Universal Marketing.
A shared commitment to innovation and quality that will find full expression in the beautiful Italian Pavilion, where producers from all over Italy will present their news together with the best of the food excellence of the territory.
From the exhibition hall to the Little Italy district in San Diego, the influence of Italian cuisine will be the protagonist of the Winter FancyFaire*, contributing to define its identity and to give an experience capable of conquering and delighting all participants in the event. – said Bill Lynch, President of the Specialty Food Association
With the precious collaboration of the organizers, SFA and Universal Marketing, we are happy to present the Italian agri-food sector in San Diego, the new venue of the trade fair for 2026. Here in California, we are also proud to celebrate the recent inclusion of Italian cuisine in the UNESCO intangible heritage with a lounge that hosts the excellence of national production. ICE New York supports Italian companies that carry out the flag of quality, widely reconsidered by American visitors and buyers who, despite their duties, continue to appreciate and trust national production – says Erica Di Giovancarlo, Director of the ICE Agency in New York and Coordinator of the US network.
The Winter Fancy Faire* 2026 arrives in a particularly significant year for Italy.
Being present with such a wide and qualified participation in one of the main agri-food events in the world is as always a reason for great pride throughout our country. Also this year the Italian accessions were extraordinarily high, a strong signal, confirming the trust of our companies and recognizing the value of more than thirty years of work dedicated to this exhibition project. – said Donato Cinelli, President of Universal Marketing and exclusive agent for Italy of the Specialty Food Association.
L’articolo Winter Fancy Faire 2026, San Diego welcomes Italian excellence proviene da IlNewyorkese.
