Every June, one of my favorite weeks of the year arrives: the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City.

As media, I spend days walking the show floor tasting hundreds of products, meeting passionate founders, learning the stories behind brands, and discovering what I genuinely believe will become the next big thing in specialty food. It is, without question, one of the best food industry events in the world. Whether you’re a retailer, chef, sommelier, food lover, or simply someone who appreciates incredible craftsmanship, the Fancy Food Show is where trends are born and where exceptional producers shine.

While you’ll be seeing many of these brands featured on my Instagram, in recipes, pairings, and upcoming articles, there were several companies that completely stopped me in my tracks. These are the brands that I couldn’t stop thinking about long after I left the Javits Center.

Here are my standout discoveries from the 2026 Summer Fancy Food Show.

1. Curious Elixirs

If you’ve followed me for any amount of time, you already know this isn’t my first love affair with Curious Elixirs.

These are, hands down, my favorite non-alcoholic cocktails on the market. They’re thoughtfully crafted, layered with botanical ingredients, adaptogens, and functional ingredients that don’t just taste incredible, they actually make you feel good.

Their entire lineup was on display, and I happily revisited every flavor. My personal favorites continue to be Curious No. 9, Curious No. 3, Curious Red, and Curious No. 1. Whether you’re taking a night off from alcohol or simply looking for something sophisticated in your glass, these continue to set the gold standard.

2. Caramel au Beurre Salé by Caramel or Blanc

Hidden inside the France Pavilion was one of the best caramel discoveries I’ve made in years.

Caramel or Blanc produces an absolutely luxurious salted caramel that tastes homemade in the very best way. Rich, silky, buttery, and perfectly balanced, it’s one of those products you immediately begin imagining in desserts, spread over toast, drizzled onto ice cream, paired with apples, or simply enjoyed by the spoonful.

Honestly, it’s one of the finest prepared caramels I’ve tasted.

3. Cooleeney Farm Cheese

Ireland absolutely showed up this year.

Cooleeney Farm’s Tipperary Brie was everything great Brie should be, creamy, buttery, beautifully ripe, and incredibly elegant. But the surprise favorite for me was their Gortnamona Goat Cheese.

Made from Irish goat’s milk, it was fresh, creamy, tangy, and absolutely unforgettable. Every cheese I sampled was exceptional.

4. Tempesta Artisan Salumi

I honestly could have spent half the day standing at this booth. The Wagyu Brisket Pastrami completely stole the show for me. Rich, beautifully seasoned, incredibly tender, and everything you want from artisan charcuterie.

If you’re a retailer looking for premium charcuterie, this deserves your attention. Personally, I’m already dreaming about featuring it on future grazing boards. Who’s bringing this into Tennessee?

 

5. Keogh’s Irish Potato Chips

I’ve recently started spotting Keogh’s on shelves but had never actually tasted them.Now I understand the hype.

Perfectly crisp with outstanding potato flavor, these chips felt elevated without trying too hard. The Classic variety was fantastic, but the Truffle Butter flavor absolutely won me over. These belong at every cocktail party.

6. Pepe Saya Cultured Butter

Sometimes the best discoveries happen by accident. I was simply walking past when someone offered me butter. Never threaten a foodie with good butter.

One bite of Pepe Saya’s cultured butter completely stopped me in my tracks. It was deeply creamy, beautifully cultured, incredibly flavorful, and had that luxurious richness only exceptional butter possesses.

I immediately wanted an entire loaf of crusty bread.

7. Discover Saudi Dates

One of my favorite educational experiences of the entire show. I found myself returning every single day for another cup of their incredible date tea, which was naturally sweet, comforting, and unlike anything I’d ever tasted before.

Beyond the products themselves, I loved learning about the cultural significance of dates and their role in Saudi hospitality and tradition. Sometimes the stories behind food are just as memorable as the flavors.

8. Strangers Hard Candies

These may have been the coolest candies at the entire show. Beautifully crafted with globally inspired flavors, every variety felt unique and sophisticated. My favorite was the Saffron, Cinnamon & Orange Blossom, followed closely by the Chai and Ginger.

I’m crossing my fingers these become easier to find in the United States because they’re unlike anything currently on the market.

9. Nunzia Pasta

Yes, that’s the famous TikTok Nonna. Watching Nunzia hand-roll fresh pasta in person was every bit as wonderful as you’d imagine. The booth was constantly filled with people watching her craftsmanship, and for good reason.

The pasta itself was absolutely delicious, but getting to watch generations of Italian tradition brought to life was even more special.

10. Wei-Chuan Gyoza

Frozen dumplings often get overlooked. These should not. The Wei-Chuan Gyoza reminded me of the authentic dumplings I enjoy whenever I’m in New York City’s incredible Asian food scene. The wrappers, filling, and overall flavor felt remarkably authentic.

If you have a quality Asian grocery store nearby, absolutely pick these up.

11. Krinos Bulgarian Feta

This may have been my favorite cheese discovery of the show.

Bright, tangy, beautifully salty, creamy without being heavy, this Bulgarian feta was simply outstanding.

I sincerely hope this becomes easier to find across the country because it’s the kind of cheese that instantly elevates salads, mezze platters, roasted vegetables, and summer entertaining.

12. Wandel Cookies

Stephanie and her mother were easily one of my favorite founder stories from the show. Inspired by traditional Mandelbread recipes, Wandel Cookies are rich, dense, flavorful, and wonderfully nostalgic while still feeling modern. They’re chewy-ish, sweet-ish but not too sweet, and just downright addicting.

As a minority women-owned company, they’re creating something truly special. If you’re curious how I paired them with wine, be sure to visit my Instagram.

13. Jabin Tart Cherry Electrolyte Refresher

Confession: tart cherry usually isn’t my favorite flavor. Jabin completely changed my mind.

Refreshing, balanced, and genuinely enjoyable, this electrolyte drink tasted far more refined than I expected. It quickly became one of my favorite beverage discoveries.

14. KLOO Coffee Concentrate

This brand absolutely impressed me. Created by a Coffee Sommelier, KLOO produces an exceptionally smooth, premium coffee concentrate that’s incredibly versatile.

The branding is stunning, the packaging feels luxurious, and when they later shipped product to me, it even arrived cold in the middle of summer.

That’s attention to detail. Stay tuned because I’ll be sharing a full Instagram feature soon.

15. Heathcote Bakery

At first glance, you may think these resemble another famous thin cookie brand. They’re not even close.

They’re significantly more buttery, richer, more flavorful, and honestly some of the best thin chocolate chip cookies I’ve had.

I’ve already started pairing them with dessert wines, and the combinations have been incredible. Be sure to check out those pairing videos on Instagram.

16. Lotte Spicy Tuna Kimbap

I was not expecting frozen kimbap to impress me this much.

The Spicy Tuna Kimbap from Lotte was flavorful, satisfying, and incredibly convenient without sacrificing authenticity.

Think sushi roll meets hand roll, but with its own distinctly Korean identity. I immediately wanted another package.

17. Marin Food Smoked Butter

Cold-smoked butter… need I say more? Marin Food’s smoked butter is unlike anything I’ve tasted before. The smoke is elegant rather than overpowering, allowing the beautiful dairy flavor to remain front and center. It’s one of those ingredients that instantly makes you rethink everything you want to spread butter on. Honestly? Every grocery store should carry this.

18. Manischewitz

For me, Manischewitz is one of those nostalgic brands that always makes an appearance around the Jewish holidays, but after visiting them at the Fancy Food Show, I’m reminded that these products deserve a place in the pantry year-round.

Their Matzo Ball Soup instantly brought back comforting childhood memories. It’s rich, flavorful, and exactly the kind of meal you crave when you need a little comfort. I also couldn’t get enough of their Chocolate Rugelach. Fresh, buttery, flaky, and filled with rich chocolate, they would be beautiful on a brunch table, dessert board, or alongside an afternoon coffee.

Sometimes the brands we’ve known the longest are worth rediscovering.

19. Gayo Azul & Rembrandt Cheeses

I’ve written about Gayo Azul before, and it continues to be one of my favorite cheese producers to visit each year.

Their lineup is consistently excellent, but this year’s standout for me was getting to revisit the Rembrandt cheeses. The 6-Month Gouda and the 8-Month Robusto Gouda were absolutely outstanding, each developing deeper caramel notes, beautiful crystalline texture, and the kind of complexity that makes aged Gouda one of my favorite cheeses to pair with wine.

If you’re building a cheese board, these deserve a spot front and center.

20. Java Factory Roasters

I’ll admit it, I’m a black coffee kind of girl. So while flavored coffee isn’t usually what I’m reaching for in the morning, I had so much fun stopping by Java Factory. What impressed me most wasn’t just the coffee itself, but the incredible creativity behind the brand. They offer an almost unbelievable number of flavor collaborations, proving just how passionate flavored coffee drinkers are.

Even though I’ll happily stick to my plain espresso or black coffee, I loved learning about the brand, exploring their lineup, and seeing how much personality they’ve infused into every flavor they create. It was a fun reminder that one of the best parts of the Fancy Food Show is discovering products made for every kind of food lover, even if they aren’t exactly what you keep in your own kitchen.

Every year I leave the Summer Fancy Food Show feeling inspired, but this year felt especially exciting.

The level of craftsmanship, innovation, storytelling, and passion behind these brands reminded me why I love this industry so much. It’s never just about tasting great food. It’s about meeting the people behind it, understanding their heritage, celebrating their traditions, and discovering products that deserve a place on our tables.

If you’re a retailer looking for your next standout product, a fellow food writer searching for inspiration, or simply someone who loves discovering exceptional foods, I hope this list gives you a few new brands to explore.

Now excuse me while I figure out how to get more smoked butter, Wagyu pastrami, cultured butter, Irish Brie, and another cup of that incredible Saudi date tea.