Kicking Off 2026: What Caught Our Eye & Taste Buds at the Winter FancyFaire Trade Show

Mattson Chief Innovation Officer, Barb Stuckey and VP Innovation, Umaima Merchant attended this year’s Winter Fancy Food Faire in San Diego, where Barb also delivered a talk on practical approaches to innovation and renovation in challenging times. Just as exciting, was a chance to attend a show that San Franciscans have long considered “ours.” And we’re happy to share that the 2027 show will return to San Francisco, our City by the Bay.

This year, the Specialty Food Association took a bold swing at keeping an annual trade show fresh and engaging. Leaning into San Diego’s climate and energy, the 2026 experience expanded beyond the convention center with “Tasting Tables” onsite and a “Culinary Campus Tasting Trail” stretching through the Gaslamp District, tapping into the city’s retailers, restaurants, and sunshine.

Inside, the exhibit hall felt like two football fields end-to-end. Every few steps brought a new product to discover. Barb and Umaima especially enjoyed sampling the offerings in the Start-up CPG Pavilion, a part of the industry where the SFA is well-positioned to make an even bigger impact.

Left to Right: Barb Stuckey & Umaima Merchant at the show

Our Top Six Picks from the Winter FancyFaire Trade Show

BARB’S PICK:
OKO Dips, Sauce & Spreads

All the 2026 trend lists this year call out texture as the Next Big Thing, but I’ll place my bet on visuals for a sensory cue a lot of food and beverage brands dismiss.

That’s where OKOFood.com, a line of real food Dips, Sauce, Spreads – call them what you will– won me over with colorful swipes on a plate that taste as bold and delicious as their looks.

OKO’s Beet Ginger blend was a savory spread so rich and gorgeous, I could use it as a swap for hummus, a topping for rice bowls, and about a thousand other uses, including everyday noshing. It’ll make you feel more cheffy.

The Carrot Turmeric was another standout, with just enough heat to give it depth, backed by a sweet carrot base.

OKO’s made almost entirely of organic vegetables, and contains natural fiber from the plants that make up the dips. Real, delicious, barely processed is a trend hasn’t ever  stopped being on-trend. Good looks don’t hurt, either!

UMAIMA’S PICK:
Brooklyn Delhi’s Tomato Achaar

Sweet, spicy, tangy and unapologetically swangy. This tomato achaar hits that magical flavor crossroads where your mouth can’t quite decide what’s happening, it just knows it wants more. It brings all the bold, layered flavors of India and translates them beautifully for a global palate—complex and vibrant without being niche.

This is fridge-door royalty. Put it on anything that needs a jazz-up: eggs, sandwiches, grain bowls, roasted vegetables, and suddenly the dish has personality, attitude, and depth. Brooklyn Delhi has cracked something special here: a modern achaar that’s craveable, versatile, and totally addictive. Swangy is having a moment, and this might just be the product that makes it a thing.

BARB’S PICK:
Cheesy Ramen

Need I say more? It turns out that this is a real flavor pairing in Korea. And kudos to the brilliant Korean company Otoki, which I’ve never heard of, to launch this into the US, given Americans’ almost ubiquitous familiarity with Mac & Cheese and Instant Ramen. Put them together and boom!

Was it the best noodle dish at the show? No. Were the waits to taste it massive? Yes. Sometimes simple and familiar is the easiest way into consumers’ carts. And cheese is the glue.

The other interesting thing about this pairing is that Otoki was demo’ing the ramen in a skillet, which somehow changes the frame of reference for consumers from “instant” to “I’m cooking.” A smart pivot to get this product onto the table for dinner.

With 3 SKUs: Cheesy, Cheesy Cheddar & Mascarpone, and Cheesy Spicy Ramen, I expect to see a lot more products being developed with their own Cheesy Ramen SKU profiles.

UMAIMA’S PICK:
Sabai Ice Cream

Let’s start with the fundamentals: the quality and texture of this ice cream were absolutely fabulous. Creamy, balanced, and clearly made with care. Then come the flavors—and this is where Sabai Creamery really shines. The Asian profiles are dialed in: Taro that’s earthy and comforting, Pandan Coconut that’s aromatic and lush, and an Alphonso Mango that is spot on.

As an Indian, I grew up hearing that mango is the king of fruits—and Alphonso is the king of kings. Sabai understood the assignment. They nailed the richness, the perfume, the depth. No shortcuts, no dilution for mass appeal—just confidence in a beloved flavor.

This is globally inspired ice cream done right: technically excellent, culturally respectful, and deeply delicious. Well done, Sabai. May you live long and prosper.

BARB’S PICK:
Aji Pepper Sauces

In Peru, Ají is the default word for chili peppers. And not surprisingly, there were more than a few brands touting the peruvian peppers to American hotheads. Consumers’ search for heat continues. The more unusual the better.

Peruvian was the it cuisine for a few years, and has now nestled safely into beloved neighborhoods and downtown hotspots. Part of the love for their cuisine is the bright and bracing seafood flavors, thanks to the cold water of the Pacific Ocean. There are hundreds of chilies, and when fish is served with citrus a most magical thing happens, the fish “cooks” itself.  It’s called ceviche. And it’s often served with Aji sauces.

This line of Aji Verde, Aji Amarillo, and Aji Rojo rose to the top of my list because the sauces are more than just hot. They’re sweet, fruity, and complex, without vinegar, so that all you taste is the pure pepper itself. It’s like fresh-squeezed hot chilis at your fingertips.

Heat and hot sauce lovers should add Peru to their list of sources. And restaurants should add these to their tables. I just wish the branding was more ownable, memorable, and as good as the sauce.

UMAIMA’S PICK:
Prime Shrimp

Who doesn’t love a big, juicy, perfectly cooked shrimp? And yet, shrimp remains oddly expensive and intimidating—overcook it by a minute and it’s game over. Prime Shrimp removes that risk entirely with perfectly seasoned shrimp you simply boil in the bag for a precise number of minutes and voilà: restaurant-quality shrimp in minutes.

Prime’s approach to shrimp is smart and a great weekday solution for healthy, lighter real food meals. And yes, It also delivers utter deliciousness without anxiety, guesswork, or rubbery outcomes. And for consumers who want to go beyond the bag, their format even flexes into an easy, satisfying shrimp burger.

This is what happens when strong consumer insight meets great execution: people want shrimp, they just don’t want to mess it up. Prime Shrimp makes success inevitable. (Foundational Insights courtesy of Mattson)

What’s driving this moment?

Mattson 2026 Macro Trends are landing soon.

Reach out to learn more.