Being a speaker at the National Association of Specialty Food Trade (NASFT) “Fancy Food Show” was a darn fun boondoggle. My topic? “Online Marketing for the Internet Impaired.” This was my second time presenting at this conference for manufacturers, distributors, sellers and promoters of “specialty foods.” The NASFT website says 250,000 products and up to 24,000 attendees are there, and I believe it. The place was A-BUZZ.
While the public cannot attend, food bloggers may as industry members – some, I have learned, by badgering for a “press pass.” Let me go on record: this ain’t my style. This event is CHEAP and frankly, a PRESS badge is a neon sign to exhibitors. Slows me down. (PS, I ran press operations of a national natural foods show for three years. I’ve walked in NASFT’s moccasins and can easily wait for them to tell us bloggers how to qualify as “press.” It will happen, don’t you think?).
What I enjoy about this show, besides eating for three days, is its energy. Every item is someone’s baby. Beautiful babies, for the most part.
But first, I focused on my speech, stopping Friday at the convention center to see the layout (good sized room, above, wouldn’t you say?), how many signed up (110), the visibility of the screen. “Wrap my head around it.” I don’t wing presentations; I wanted to stand on the dais, talk with the AV guy, see my handouts.
Done. Time to shop. Treat myself to a movie (The Lovely Bones). Early to bed, early to rise on Saturday. Walked first to visit Food Fanatic’s Food Styling Class (Denise is one of the upcoming presenters at Camp Blogaway). Then off to my speech.
Sunday was my day to “graze the exhibits.” And to see good friends, like pal Larry Levine with the Sonoma County Winegrape Commission… he wanted to make sure I saw his collaboration with Chocolates A La Carte – Wine Pairing Chocolates. What other products did I like at this show? A thousand to list, but I was really keen on the luscious jams in gorgeous highball glasses. Baby grand piano box of chocolates. Black garlic (fermented, mild). Beautiful baking papers. And Paper Chef parchment paper cooking pouches JUST coming onto the marketplace got me excited.
If you are in the food business, look into the Fancy Food Show – winter is San Francisco and summer is New York – you can make good industry contacts while soaking up culinary inspiration, passion, energy, visual stimulation and darn good eats. And bloggers, what’s your opinion on “press badges” for YOU? Leave a comment!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Erika, I don’t object to bloggers getting press badges. I do object to bloggers believing they can automatically have one if they show up and just ask for it. Media access to an important event is usually pre-credentialed, with members of the press screened in advance for legitimacy. That takes time and focus, hard to do on the spot in a press room.
I’m not sure why you’d object to bloggers getting press badges, Patti. I’ve done so for lots of other events (e.g. LA Times Festival of Books) and the pieces I’ve written about those events are just as valuable as any other online coverage…aren’t they?