California’s San Joaquin Valley, known as the largest food producing region in the world, continues to flourish as top growers and manufacturers come together once again to celebrate the region’s rich agricultural industry at the largest regional food show in the nation, the Fresno Food Expo.

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the premier San Joaquin Valley food trade show, to be held July 22-23, 2015.Mike Girazian of Union Bank, a sponsor of the Fresno Food Expo, Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin hold a Happy Fifth Anniversary cake to celebrate the event’s fifth year. An estimated 150 local food production companies headquartered throughout the eight-county San Joaquin Valley will come together with approximately 750 key buyers from international, domestic, regional and local food and beverage buying channels traveling from around the world for an opportunity to discover what the valley has to offer.

In addition to the event, exclusive site tour opportunities the day prior to the show will offer key industry buyers an opportunity to learn more about the many facets that make up the valley’s burgeoning food industry.

Launched in 2011, the Fresno Food Expo was established as an economic development initiative by the city of Fresno in an effort to connect food and beverage manufacturers throughout the San Joaquin Valley to local, regional, national and international retail and foodservice buyers. In turn, companies would have the opportunity to increase their customer base, expand their businesses and hire more employees, resulting in economic growth for the entire San Joaquin Valley.

In 2014, the Fresno Food Expo shifted the show date from March to its current mid-summer July date — providing an even greater opportunity to include more than 2,500 fresh produce growers and packers in the San Joaquin Valley during their prime growing season.

Fresh produce grower participation grew by 25 percent in 2014 over the previous year, and continued growth is expected at the 2015 Fresno Food Expo.

Since its launch in 2011, the show’s participation and interest has increased by over 400 percent. The expo has evolved into a powerful platform for valley-based food and beverage producers to network, share industry relationships, create new business contacts and increase exposure to broaden their markets, all leading to increased sales opportunities for valley companies.  

The steady growth of the Fresno Food Expo has attracted a variety of grower and manufacturing companies, such as SunWest Fruit Co. — a family-owned grower-shipper business. In 2014, the company decided to join the Fresno Food Expo as both an exhibitor and sponsor, displaying great confidence in the Fresno Food Expo’s date shift and desired goal of adding a variety of fresh commodities from the valley’s diverse grower industry, including established cooperatives and ethnic producers.

“SunWest Fruit Company is proud to be among many successful growers, shippers and producers at the Fresno Food Expo that support this increasingly popular regional food show and recognize the impact it can have on the San Joaquin Valley,” Dean Thonesen, vice president of SunWest Fruit Co. Inc., said in a press release. “We look forward to highlighting the flavor and quality of our fruit while networking with produce buyers at this year’s show.”

For other companies, such as Nichols Farms — a third-generation family owned and operated business — the Fresno Food Expo provides an exciting opportunity to not only make key contacts, but launch and test new products through the show’s New Product Awards presented by Baker Peterson Franklin.

Also a new exhibitor and sponsor in 2014, the company signed on to introduce its organic pistachio line using the “Nichols Farms” label with the goal of meeting retailers who would help sell their product directly to the consumer and diversify their business; a new venture for one of the valley’s largest pistachio cooperatives who primarily sells in bulk and under private label.

“Nichols Farms was proud to join the ranks of those entering their new concepts into the New Product Awards,” Rudy Placencia, vice president of sales, added in the press release. “The valley is a powerhouse for innovation within this industry and we were excited to showcase our organic line at 2014 Fresno Food Expo.”

Buyers and exhibitors may pre-register for the 2015 Fresno Food Expo by visiting www.FresnoFoodExpo.com. Qualified buyer registration is free. Exhibitors can take advantage of early bird discounts, a 40 percent savings available until Feb. 21, with public ticket sales launching in the spring.

The Fresno Food Expo New Product Awards will return in 2015 with categories of “Buyers Choice” and “People’s Choice.” The awards are open to all registered exhibitors who have a new food or beverage product or packaging concept that has or will be introduced to the market between July 25, 2014 and July 23, 2015. Applications will be made available to interested companies in early spring.

Exclusive site tours and a VIP Event for pre-registered buyers will kick off on July 22 and the 2015 Fresno Food Expo will be held on Thursday, July 23, 2015, at the Fresno Convention & Entertainment Center New Exhibit Hall.