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Chef Scott Conant to Give Keynote at Winter Fancy Food

Published January 13, 2025

As the 49th Winter Fancy Food Show approaches this month, the Specialty Food Association has announced a second keynote speaker: Scott Conant, a two-time James Beard Award-winning chef, cookbook author, and TV personality, will speak to the Fancy Food Show audience on the first day of the event. Conant joins previously announced keynote speaker Molly Baz.

“Scott Conant on Simplicity and Success, from the James Beard Awards to the Chopped Kitchen” will offer insights into Conant’s storied career in the kitchen and in front of the camera, beginning at 11 am PT on Sunday, January 19, 2025. Structured as a conversation with journalist Patranya Bhoolsuwan, the keynote will also explore foodservice success, how trends flow from restaurants to CPG, and Conant’s philosophy about the beauty of simplicity.

“I’m thrilled to share my passion and industry insights with some of the most innovative food entrepreneurs in the country,” Conant said. “I remember attending the Fancy Food Show for years as a young chef, and it still impresses and continues to evolve all these years later. Las Vegas is one of the world’s premier hospitality hubs, and I’m honored to be a small part of it.”

Known to many in the United States and beyond as a recurring judge on Food Network’s Chopped and frequent co-host on Beat Bobby Flay, Conant has been an influential presence in the foodservice industry for decades. He’s won two James Beard Awards for Best New Restaurant, as well as a Food & Wine Award for Best New Chef. In this moment of burgeoning specialty food sales in the foodservice channel, Conant’s perspectives, experience, and vision for the future couldn’t be more relevant to the Fancy Food Show audience.

“We are thrilled to welcome Scott Conant, a celebrated chef, restaurateur, and TV personality, as a keynote speaker for this year’s Winter Fancy Food Show,” said SFA president Bill Lynch. “Scott’s journey embodies the passion and innovation that define the specialty food industry. His insights will inspire attendees to think creatively about food and its evolving role in today’s marketplace. Buyers attending the show will gain a unique perspective on emerging trends, flavor innovation, and what’s next in specialty food from one of the industry’s most respected voices. It’s a keynote you won’t want to miss!”

Programming will run on all three days of the 2025 Winter Fancy Food Show and will cover topics from funding to innovation, trends to tariffs, and buying to marketing. New Show features include First Taste Experience, the Winter Show’s very own food hall, located on the Show Floor and featuring only the newest products in the market; Spark Showcase, a dynamic area offering all-day programming that will spark new ideas, new connections, and new discoveries; Ask the Experts, an interactive space dedicated to 1:1 and small-group sessions; Debut District section of the Show Floor, featuring first-time exhibitors, new products, startups, and incubators; Tastemaker Conference Co-location, an annual gathering of food bloggers and content creators; and Maker Prep Course Graduation, a celebration of the first class of manufacturers to complete the reimagined six-month Maker Prep Course.

The Show is open only to qualified members of the specialty food trade, industry affiliates, and journalists. To learn more and register for the Show, visit the SFA website.

For coverage of the Winter Fancy Food Show, subscribe to Gourmet News.

ReposiTrak Adds 50 Suppliers to Its Traceability Network

Published January 2, 2025

ReposiTrak, the world’s largest food traceability and regulatory compliance network, leveraging its established inventory management and out-of-stock reduction SaaS platform, is preparing to welcome 50 new dairy and dairy-alternative suppliers into the queue for the ReposiTrak Traceability Network. These new members will efficiently exchange intricate, FDA-required Key Data Elements for each Critical Tracking Event in their supply chains, ensuring proactive compliance well before the January 2026 deadline.

Among the 50 new suppliers are 3 standout members with a rich history. One is a Wisconsin-based, family-owned cheesemaker founded more than a century ago, now recognized as one of the nation’s top premium cheese and whey products makers. Another is a U.S.-based cooperative founded in 1938, consisting of 600 farm families and 7,000 associates. With award-winning milk, cheese, and other dairy products, it serves 30% of the U.S. market while emphasizing sustainable dairy practices. The third is a Swedish pioneer in plant-based alternatives, with its oat-based products available internationally.

“ReposiTrak’s network, the largest operational traceability network, is helping dairy and plant-based suppliers achieve seamless compliance with FDA regulations and retailer traceability requirements,” said Randy Fields, chairman and CEO of ReposiTrak. “By joining the network, these suppliers can efficiently share traceability data with an unlimited number of in-network customers, all without the need for additional hardware or software.”

The ReposiTrak Traceability Network requires no additional hardware or software and the ReposiTrak team assists in making the connections needed under the new regulation. Suppliers can connect to an unlimited number of trading partners and share data for a low, flat fee.

ReposiTrak provides retailers, suppliers, food manufacturers and wholesalers with a robust solution suite to help reduce risk and remain in compliance with regulatory requirements, enhance operational controls and increase sales with unrivaled brand protection. Consisting of three product families – food traceability, compliance and risk management and supply chain solutions – ReposiTrak’s integrated, cloud-based applications are supported by an unparalleled team of experts. For more information, please visit https://repositrak.com

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AAK Completes Divestment of NJ Foodservice Facility

Published January 2, 2025

On Oct. 23, AAK announced an agreement to divest its foodservice facility located in Hillside, N.J. The transaction was finalized on Dec. 31, resulting in a one-time positive cash flow impact of approximately $600 million Swedish krona in the fourth quarter of 2024. The divestment is not anticipated to have a material effect on the company’s profit and loss statement.

In 2024, the Hillside facility represented about 5 percent of AAK’s total volumes and approximately 1 percent of its operating profit. As a result, the divestment is expected to increase the group’s operating profit per kilo by approximately 4 percent, assuming no other changes.

On Oct. 23, the same day the divestment of Hillside was announced, AAK also outlined plans to invest in a new facility to replace its existing foodservice site in Dalby, Sweden. While the plans are still being finalized, the company confirmed that the new site is expected to be located in Staffanstorp, representing a significant step in itss efforts to strengthen and future-proof foodservice operations across Europe.

AAK specializes in plant-based oils that are the value-adding ingredients in the products people love to consume. At the heart of AAK’s offering is Customer Co-Development, combining a desire to understand what better means for each customer with the unique flexibility of our production assets and deep knowledge across products and industries.

AAK’s 4,200 employees support its close collaboration with customers through 25 regional sales offices, 15 dedicated Customer Innovation Centers and support of more than 20 production facilities. Listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and with headquarters in Malmö, Sweden, AAK has been Making Better Happen for more than 150 years.

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