Fresno, California – January 4, 2011…Fresno Food Expo Advisory Committee and City of Fresno are proud to announce that tickets for the public portion of the second annual Fresno Food Expo are on sale now. This unique regional food show provides the San Joaquin Valley’s (from Bakersfield to Stockton) finest food growers, producers, brewers and winemakers an opportunity to exhibit their products to not only local, national and international retail buyers, restaurants and chefs during the day – but to food enthusiasts who want to discover new products and support local business in the evening.
For only $40, the public can come see, taste and discover more than 100 of the finest food and beverage exhibitors in the San Joaquin Valley. From large businesses to small specialty stores, the Fresno Food Expo has it all! Sample peppered salami, apricot-habanero jam, biscotti, Armenian cracker bread, fresh stone and tree fruit, gourmet stuffed olives, and a variety of local wines and beer. This is not just a tasting event, but an opportunity to discover the San Joaquin Valley’s thriving food industry and create a renewed sense of pride in what is offered here locally. Public ticket sales are limited, so purchase early.
A limited supply of $10 off discounted tickets will be available at the Lime Lite Restaurant, located at 1054 West Shaw Avenue, starting Monday, January 9th. Additionally, a special $5 off discount is available to those that “Like” the Fresno Food Expo page on Facebook. A special Facebook discount link will be posted on January 4th and is valid through January 11th on online purchases only. There will be a limited amount of discounted tickets available, so purchase early.
To view a list of the San Joaquin Valley food producers and growers that have signed up so far for the 2012 Fresno Food Expo, click here. To date, more than half of the exhibitor spaces have been filled. The deadline for exhibitor applications to be submitted is February 9th. Applications are available online at:
www.fresnofoodexpo.com/registration/vendor.
New this year, not only will the public be able to sample the products shown at the Fresno Food Expo, but each exhibitor will have items there available for purchase. “We wanted to create an opportunity for the public to immediately purchase the products they discover and enjoy at the Fresno Food Expo,” said Amy Huerta, Local Business Initiatives Manager, City of Fresno. “We made this change based upon feedback from both the public and exhibitors after last year’s event, and anticipate it will be a highly successful new addition.”
The Fresno Food Expo was first developed as part of the City of Fresno’s economic development strategy focused on growing locally-owned businesses in the food industry. Designed as a tool to expose San Joaquin Valley based food producers to greater export opportunities, the expo provides a platform to exhibit products in front of a variety of qualified buyers from the local, regional, national and international retail chains, foodservice distributors, local and California-based restaurants and chefs, large government agencies and hospitality venues, all looking to buy new, local products. In its inaugural year, the Fresno Food Expo was able to make key business connections providing positive results from product exposure, to establishment of critical new retail relationships, increased sales for local food businesses, and ultimately Valley commerce representing a multitude of categories.
The 2012 Fresno Food Expo will be held on Thursday, March 8, 2012, at the Fresno Convention & Visitors Bureau New Exhibit Hall.
For more information, please visit
www.fresnofoodexpo.com.
