The California Food Expo is the only food industry trade show with its sole focus on Californian companies and has a goal of connecting buyers from around the world with local industry.

California is home to some of the most forward-thinking and innovative food and beverage companies. You will learn so much at this show through the many educational opportunities of panel discussions and exhibitor booths.

This is the only trade show exclusively designed to shine a light on the diversity and innovation that is found only in California.

Who Attends?

There are over 160 food and beverage exhibitors and 800 qualified retail and food service buyers planning to attend. They are invited to join in all expo-related events as special guests free of charge. Non-food producers are encouraged to come to meet and support their customers and take advantage of the opportunities for sponsorship. The exhibitors will have been planning for months on how they will display their culinary expertise, so hopefully, they have enough canopies to cover the entire area, if not, they may want to bring their own by looking up a used 20×20 tent for sale or something similar to be ready for the event.

Event Details

This B2B trade show takes place on Monday, September 9, 2019, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m at the Fresno Convention & Entertainment Center. It is only open to approved exhibitors, buyers, and sponsors with a trade show badge. Featured panelists will be The Supermarket Guru, Technomic, Effi Foods, Misadventures & Co., Sage Tree & Range Me, Amplio Digital, Follow Your Heart, and Raley’s. An Exhibitor Happy Hour will take place from 3-4:30 p.m. An opening reception will start immediately following the last session.

Tuesday will start with a welcome breakfast featuring award announcements for New Product Awards, the Fred Ruiz Entrepreneurial Award, and the Golden State Award. The day will end with EXPOLICIOUS as the expo’s evening consumer event from 5-8 p.m.

Both days there will be panel discussions with leading trend experts in the foodservice and retail industries. Learn about:

• opportunities to grow and diversify how and where your business is selling products,
• how to navigate the eCommerce platforms of the food industry,
• future trends, and
• pioneering new paths from sustainability to connecting with customers.

Accommodations

When considering the hotels in Fresno, there are a few great choices. The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel is the partner hotel of the California Food Expo. Attendees can get special room rates if they book early enough.

If the DoubleTree gets full, the Hyatt Place Fresno is another great choice. It’s close to downtown, has free parking, a pool, a fitness center, and offers 24/7 dining in case your schedule gets thrown off by travel.

Attractions Nearby

If you are spending extra days in the area, some of the other attractions include:

Nearby Hiking Trails and National Parks – See the world’s tallest trees, including the famous “General Sherman” at Sequoia and Kings Canyon. View the awe-inspiring cliffs, the granite Half Dome formation with incredible views, and the 2,245-foot waterfalls at Yosemite that are part of the park’s 1,169 square miles.

Forestiere Underground Gardens – This is a hand-built network of underground rooms, vaults, stone-built walls, passageways, and courtyards reminiscent of ancient catacombs. Unique shrubs, vines, and fruit-producing trees grow underground, and some of them are more than 90 years old!

Enjoy shopping at River Park Shopping Center. It has more than 75 major retailers, local event venues, dining outlets, and a movie theater.