Mountain to Market: Lessons from the Winter Fancy Food Show
The Mountain to Market program is designed to support food entrepreneurs across the Appalachian region. This past month, CRAFT at Chatham University’s Business Support and Education Program Manager, Abi Kapelewski, and Food Studies Graduate Student and Appalachian Regional Food Business Coordinator, Kirsten Chervenak, had the incredible opportunity to attend the Specialty Food Association’s Winter Fancy Food Show in Las Vegas - their first time at this highly regarded event. From Saturday through Tuesday, they immersed themselves in a world of flavor, innovation, and valuable connections.
The Power of Incubator Village
One of the highlights of their experience was visiting Incubator Village, where they met start-up food businesses from across the country. Many of these businesses participated in development programs like Mountain to Market. Abi and Kirsten engaged in energizing conversations about the challenges and rewards of growing a specialty food business. While the scale of the show can feel overwhelming, the benefits of attending - especially for networking and market opportunities - are undeniable.
Learning from Other Regional Food Business Centers
Abi and Kirsten also connected with leaders from the Northwest and Rocky Mountain Regional Food Business Center, whose Getting Your Recipe to Market program has significantly influenced Mountain to Market. Getting Your Recipe to Market is a unique 12-week training program designed to help turn food product ideas into commercially viable offerings. The program partners with food industry experts, Oregon State University’s Food Innovation Center, and New Seasons Market to guide entrepreneurs step-by-step through producing, promoting, and selling their products.
The Northwest and Rocky Mountain Regional Food Business Center shared insights into their operations, lessons learned, and best practices. They highlighted two standout brands that have thrived thanks to their Fancy Food Show experiences:
Tempo Granola: After attending her first Summer Fancy Food Show in New York, the founder of Tempo saw rapid growth, securing a new vendor for dried apricots. At the most recent Winter Fancy Food Show, Whole Foods buyers approached her to discuss potential distribution.
Papa Tony’s Hot Sauce: A hotel chain buyer visited the founder’s table and, without even tasting the product, expressed interest in carrying it in all of his hotels!
These success stories exemplify how transformative the Fancy Food Show can be for emerging brands.
Key Takeaway: Know Your Goal Before Attending
One of the most important pieces of advice Abi and Kirsten received was that businesses should have a clear goal in mind before attending the Fancy Food Show. Whether it’s securing a distributor, making buyer connections, or gathering industry insights, being intentional about objectives ensures a more productive experience.
Weaving Appalachia Through Food
Weaving Appalachia through food means intertwining the region’s deep-rooted culinary traditions, agricultural heritage, and evolving food innovations into a connected, sustainable system. Just as strong individual threads come together to create a unified fabric, the Appalachian food landscape thrives when small farmers, artisans, and food entrepreneurs collaborate - preserving traditions while embracing new opportunities.
Abi and Kirsten’s visit to the Winter Fancy Food Show reinforced their excitement for launching Mountain to Market’s programming, which will prepare start-up specialty food businesses for participation in the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York. Incubator Village offers these businesses a unique trade show experience, equipping them with the knowledge and confidence needed to scale successfully.
By hosting a program like Mountain to Market, businesses throughout the region can connect, build relationships, and experience the show as part of a supportive community. Our goal is to continue strengthening the network of food entrepreneurs across Appalachia!