7/7/2011
Six West Virginia agribusinesses will attend this year’s National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT) Summer Fancy Food Show in Washington, D.C. The show runs July 10-12, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
“These events are an invaluable tool for West Virginia agribusinesses, allowing them the opportunity to showcase their products, provide information to prospective buyers and make sales on the spot,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass.
“It is also an opportunity for these companies to receive international exposure. Just as in the United States, consumers in foreign countries are always looking for new and distinctive food products and that’s exactly where these West Virginia companies excel.”
According to Jean Smith, Director of Marketing and Development for the West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA), the product emphasis at this year’s show will be on specialty food items.
“West Virginia’s specialty products stack up very well against producers from other states. In fact, our producers have won awards at some of these shows,” said Smith. “I expect the companies attending this year’s show will do very well and that they’ll impress buyers.”
A potential award-winner attending the show this year is Uncle Bunk’s, which was named a finalist in the prestigious sofi™ Awards earlier this year. The sofi™ Award recognizes excellence in specialty foods and beverages. The acronym “sofi”™ stands for Specialty Outstanding Food Innovation. The annual sofi™ Awards Red Carpet Ceremony with keynote address by celebrity chef Cat Cora will take place at the show July 11. Uncle Bunk’s is owned and operated by Larry Young, his wife Rose Marie, and their daughter Stacey Young Kasun. Located in Sistersville, Uncle Bunk’s manufactures gourmet products based on old-time Appalachian recipes.
DeFluri’s Fine Chocolates will also attend the show with an eye toward expanding sales in Canada. DeFluri’s is a family operation owned by veteran chocolatiers Brenda and Charlie Casabona. Using pure, quality ingredients in time-perfected recipes, DeFluri’s produces superior fine chocolates at their shop in downtown Martinsburg.
Blue Smoke Salsa and Thistledew Farm will make return appearances at the show. Blue Smoke owner Robin Hildebrand started her company in the basement of her home and now offers public tours at the Blue Smoke production facility, retail store and coffee shop in Ansted. Thistledew Farm, headquartered in Proctor, offers quality honey, beeswax and other bee products and services.
Two Eastern Panhandle produce vendors round out the West Virginia delegation. Orr’s Farm Market in Martinsburg has been farmed by three generations of the Orr family since 1954. Fruits are wholesaled in grocery stores across the U.S. Mock’s Greenhouse in Berkeley Springs grows several hydroponic crops, including tomatoes, watercress, Boston Bibb lettuce, basil and cucumbers. While 99.5 percent of the Mock’s yield is marketed outside Morgan County, the Mocks still participate in the Berkeley Springs Farmers’ Market each week to increase awareness and marketing within their home county. Mock’s Greenhouse is one of only a few GAP (Good Agriculture Practices) certified hydroponic growers on the east coast.
The Fancy Food Show is among the largest expositions of its type in the world. Organizers expect 2,400 exhibitors who will show 180,000 specialty food products. Eighty countries will be represented. The event also features more than 20 seminars, tours and tastings.
West Virginia’s participation in the show is funded through a USDA specialty crop grant program.
Contact Information
Buddy Davidson, Communications Officer
304-558-3708; 304-541-5932 (cell)
bdavidson@ag.state.wv.us