Exhibitor perspective: Why Startup CPG section mattered

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with Leana Salamah from the Specialty Food Association, John Lane from The Raley's Companies, and Marc Brown, founder of ONOIN—to recap the Winter FancyFaire* 2026 in San Diego. After 18 months of planning, the SFA brought together 10,000 attendees and over 1,000 brands for three days of 70-degree sunshine, meaningful buyer-brand connections, and a reimagined trade show experience that integrated San Diego's culinary scene into every corner of the event.

Leana shares how the show evolved from a traditional trade show format into something that felt fresh, innovative, and community-driven—featuring restaurant takeovers, neighborhood activations, and a show floor designed to create a journey through specialty food trends. John discusses why he made the trek from Northern California to scout innovation for Raley's Get Curious initiative, what trends he's tracking for the back half of 2026 (hello, sense maxing and Protein 2.0), and how 20-30 brands from the show will land on Raley's shelves in the next 7-8 months. Marc pulls back the curtain on what it's really like to exhibit as an emerging brand—from missing the first hour because of a wedding in New York to getting swarmed by buyers the moment he arrived, to landing tangible retailer acceptances and building a pipeline for the next 6-12 months.

Throughout the episode, the group discusses the magic of the Startup CPG section (and why brands fight to get in), the importance of a 60-70% buyer-to-brand ratio, why Fancy shows offer the perfect middle ground between distributor deal-making and Expo's overwhelming scale, and how to use trade shows strategically across the year. They also preview what's coming for Summer Fancy Food in New York City (June 28-30)—and why you should book your hotel NOW because of the World Cup.

Whether you're deciding which trade shows to invest in, looking to understand what buyers are really seeking at events, or wondering how to maximize ROI from your booth investment, this conversation offers honest reflections on what makes a trade show worth it—and why Winter Fancy Fair 2026 set a new standard.

Listen in as they discuss:

• Winter FancyFaire* 2026 recap: San Diego, 10,000 attendees, 1,030 brands, and 70-degree sunshine
• How SFA reimagined the trade show experience with city activations, restaurant takeovers, and culinary integrations
• The "sense maxing" trend of 2026: multi-sensory flavor experiences as pushback against AI
• Why Raley's came to scout innovation: planning the back half of 2026 and spotting trends 6-7 months early
• John Lane's trend predictions: Protein 2.0 (protein + fiber + benefits) and ready-to-drink broths making a comeback
• The Startup CPG section advantage: curated brands, high buyer traffic, and a family atmosphere
• Marc Brown's first-timer experience: missing the first hour, getting swarmed by TJ Maxx and Whole Foods, and landing retailer acceptances
• Why the 60-70% buyer-to-brand ratio matters—and how it creates better conversations
• The "How Do Retailers Spot Innovation" panel: standing room only with buyers from Raley's, Thrive, Whole Foods, and CVS
• How 20-30 brands from Winter Fancy Fair will land on Raley's shelves in the next 7-8 months
• Using trade shows strategically: distributor shows for deals, Expo for scale, Fancy for meaningful buyer relationships
• Building friendships booth-to-booth: why CPG is a team sport and your booth neighbor is your future resource
• The value of expert one-on-ones at Fancy: free sessions with buyers like CVS's Lauren Castro
• Summer Fancy Food preview: June 28-30 in NYC—book hotels NOW because of the World Cup
• Why going slow, building relationships, and playing the long game wins at trade shows

Episode Links:

• ONOIN: https://eatonoin.com/ 
• Marc Brown LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marc-brown-41500546/?skipRedirect=true 
• John Lane LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnlane-raleys/ 
• Raley's Get Curious: https://www.raleys.com 
• Leana Salamah LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leanasalamah/ 
• Specialty Food Association: https://www.specialtyfood.com 

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.

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• Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.com
• Episode music by Super Fantastics
  
  

You can find Little Sesame nationwide at retailers like Whole Foods and Sprouts, or order directly online. Visit eatlittlesesame.com —and use code STARTUPCPG for 20% off your order.