Education, Recognition, and Mentoring Help SFA Members Navigate a Growing Industry
NEW YORK, NY, OCTOBER 1, 2019 — The Specialty Food Association (SFA), a longstanding champion for food industry visionaries and the host of the bi-annual Fancy Food Shows, today announced the association’s complete rebranding effort. SFA’s new vision to ‘Shape the Future of Food’ will serve as an umbrella to an array of educational, networking and research offerings designed to better serve the needs of its growing membership.
The newly redesigned SFA logo, an imperfect circle, captures the constantly shifting and evolving industry and the limitless effects that food and drink have on our culture and everyday lives. The logo also represents the association’s 360° approach to nurturing and introducing new specialty food products and companies into the marketplace.
Founded in 1952, the SFA’s earliest days were at a time of burgeoning American demand for international goods and global flavors. Since then, and especially through the Fancy Food Shows, countless domestic and international brands have launched in the U.S. market under the auspices of the SFA. In fact, throughout its 67-year history, the association has acted as a catalyst for many of today’s most iconic food entrepreneurs and tastemakers, propelling countless brands into the U.S. marketplace and helping take American companies global. Brands such as Walker’s Shortbread, KIND Bars, Tate’s Cookies, Vitamin Water, Stonewall Kitchen, Jelly Belly, and Ben & Jerry’s to name a few, have all been SFA members.
Now, with plans to build a membership of not only food producers but buyers, distributors, and affiliated businesses too, the SFA is leveraging its strengths to convene a vital, modern community of food. The rebrand will amplify the association’s established success and promote a dynamic new Specialty Food Association.
“For decades, the SFA has been at the forefront of food innovation. Our top priority is to continue offering new ways to support our always-evolving community and to help our member companies grow and succeed,” said SFA President Phil Kafarakis. “The current American appetite for clean, authentic, flavorful, and healthier foods is here to stay. Through the rebrand and our expanded offerings, we’ll be inviting in a wider range of members to fully represent the marketplace and better reflect the diversity of our consumer-focused industry.”
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About the Specialty Food Association
Founded in 1952 in New York City, the Specialty Food Association (SFA) is the leading advocate for the $148 billion specialty food industry. Representing makers, importers, entrepreneurs, retailers, distributors and others in the trade, the SFA aims to champion, nurture and connect its members to deliver traditional and innovative new products to consumers that expand consumption of specialty foods. With over 3,800 member companies, the association helps its members through providing information, research, educational events, and celebrating the industry through its awards programs. The SFA is known for hosting the Winter and Summer Fancy Food Shows as well as producing the quarterly Specialty Food Magazine and the annual sofi Awards which recognize the best in specialty products.
