NEW YORK – The Specialty Food Association (SFA) has canceled the 2021 Winter Fancy Food Show which was scheduled to take place at the Moscone Center in San Francisco Jan. 17-19. 

The cancellation of the 46th annual winter show was driven by the closure of the Moscone Center due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing travel restrictions and general safety for all participants. SFA will host a virtual event, Specialty Food LIVE!, in place of the in-person show Jan. 19-22. 

The online show in January will be the second iteration of Specialty Food LIVE!, which had its first successful run in September. The virtual event will include an all-inclusive digital marketplace event, where members and buyers can conduct business and continue to put specialty food on store shelves, safely and economically.  

“While we are disappointed that the Winter Fancy Food Show has been canceled, we’re excited about our new series of virtual events, Specialty Food LIVE!” said Bill Lynch, interim president, Specialty Food Association. “Our initial launch this past September generated significant positive feedback. With more than 11,0000 connections between buyers and makers, and buyer demand to extend the event by an extra day, we are confident that we can continue to build on that success and deliver more opportunities for our members to grow their business in January.” 

The January event will also include new educational programs, virtual networking events, and the SFA’s new and popular Virtual Product Tasting Experience, which allows buyers to sample pre-delivered specialty food products while listening to makers describe them. 

More details about Specialty Food LIVE! January 2021 will be released in the coming weeks.