Fresno Food Expo pays off for Valley vendors

By Robert Rodriguez

The Fresno Bee

September 19, 2014 

 The Fresno Food Expo, the annual gathering of the San Joaquin Valley's premier food makers, is paying dividends for many of its exhibitors.

Several products displayed at the late-July event held in downtown Fresno, including specialty tea, smoky jalapeños and fresh hummus, have caught the attention of restaurants, retailers and distributors.

"It was a thrilling experience," said Arianne Wing, co-owner of L.T. Sue Co., a Hanford-based maker of tea blends.

The small company produces dozens of varieties of tea and was approached by Erna's Elderberry House Restaurant in Oakhurst and the Painted Table catering company in Fresno about buying their teas.

"If you ask me, that is pretty good company to be in," Wing said. "We were very honored."

The L.T. Sue Co. also was the co-winner of the Buyer's Choice award, along with Casa de Tamales in Fresno. Wing said winning the award was an added bonus.

"It was very gratifying to get that kind of attention," she said. "And we are definitely going to return to the show next year."

Unlike other food shows that attract vendors from all over the country, Fresno's is tailored specifically for San Joaquin Valley companies.

Economic development officials say the goal is to help local companies grow their businesses by giving them the opportunity to connect with major retail buyers. The more sales they make, the greater the potential for more jobs.

Organizers say this year's event was the largest ever with 702 buyers, 126 vendors and more than 1,000 people attending the public tasting portion.

Amy Fuentes, the expo's director, said one of the goals of this year's event was to bring in more buyers, especially those considered "decision makers."

"One of the things we're proud of is that we brought buyers that were directors of their departments, whether it was produce, meat or something else," Fuentes said. "Those are the types of people we wanted to attract, and we did."

Among the decision makers attending the expo was Whole Foods buyer Harvinder Singh.

"Harv is the kind of buyer that will hold company's hands until they get in the store," Fuentes said.

Whole Foods hookup

One of the expo exhibitors who benefited from creating a relationship with Whole Foods was Debi Franklin, owner of Deb's Gourmet, maker of sweet and smoky jalapeño peppers.

Franklin is finalizing the paperwork to have her jalapeño peppers in Whole Foods' Fresno store in Fig Garden Village. If the peppers do well there, she could be featured in other Whole Foods stores.

And it wasn't just Whole Foods buyers who showed interest in Franklin's spicy peppers during the expo. Save Mart agreed to carry Deb's Gourmet peppers in 40 of its stores, ranging from Sacramento to Bakersfield.

It's the break Franklin had been waiting for after four years of exhibiting at the expo.

"I am still in awe," she said. "There were times, especially during 2012, when I just wanted to close the doors, but my husband looked at me and said that he was not going to let me quit."

Franklin says she is glad she stuck it out. Her business turned around and new doors began to open for her. This year, she landed a contract to supply Chukchansi Park with all of its jalapeños, and her online sales have begun to yield more customers as she markets her peppers at trade shows and events such as the expo.

"It has not been easy, but I've learned that being in business takes a lot of perseverance," she said.

Marketing hummus

Sarah Dean, of Sarah's Harvest hummus in Sanger, was happy with the company's first appearance at the expo.

She and her father, Morgan Murray, who runs fresh garbanzo bean grower Califresh, made some valuable connections, and they got a better understanding of what buyers are looking for.

Dean also learned how competitive the market is for hummus. She heard from several retail buyers who said they already carry several brands of hummus and asked what made hers different.

"It was a challenge, but we told buyers that we are unique because we make our hummus from fresh garbanzo beans. Most people use dry beans that are reconstituted," she said. "To us, you can really taste the difference. Ours is not pasty but has deep flavor."

Dean didn't score a major deal, but she didn't walk away empty-handed, either.

Her company's small containers of fresh hummus are being sold at Peeve's Public House, Sumner Peck Ranch Winery and the Vineyard Farmers Market at Blackstone and Shaw on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

"It is a learning process, and it definitely teaches you patience and gratitude," Dean said. "We may not have made immediate steps to get into major retail stores, but we have learned that it takes time and as long as you keep chugging along and getting established, the more likely the big retailers are to pick you up."

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