Every year, Dot Foods national account operators, customers, and suppliers come out to the Innovations trade show to hear about innovations in our industry from big-name speakers, like celebrity chef Alton Brown and Datassential’s Jack Li. And of course, being a food industry redistributor, our trade show always includes plenty of innovative samples.
Innovations 2023 marked the return of our second annual Culinary Experience Lunch with even more exhibitors—thus, more to taste. Right from the trade show floor, participating exhibitors served up their products in trend-forward dishes and drinks.
Cheese, Cheese, Cheese
It’s hard to imagine grilled cheese becoming any more popular, but the staple is still growing. Grilled cheese has increased its appearance on U.S. menus by 10 percent over the past four years per Datassential SNAP!
But it’s not just grilled cheese—cheese is showing up in more varieties and more places on the menu, and attendees certainly got their fill of that creamy goodness on the show floor.
Lactalis gave their grilled cheese some Italian flair with mozzarella, giardiniera, and pesto.
Tillamook went for a more traditional route with yellow cheddar, but they still offered a slight twist with brioche bread slathered with extra creamy butter.
Oregon Fruit took a cue from our mustard article, enlivening their turkey havarti sandwich with a cranberry apple Dijon spread.
Barilla doubled down on comfort, combining the nostalgia of mac and cheese with meaty BBQ pork.
Alcohol-Free Refreshments
Okay, this one wasn’t totally by choice. Since alcohol was only allowed on the show floor during select hours, most of our beverage exhibitors had to go the zero-proof route. But it just so happens that more and more consumers are also going the zero-proof route.
A 2021 survey from Gallup found that 60 percent of American adults drank alcohol, down from 65 percent in 2019. This trend shows no signs of drying up, with Gen Zers drinking 20 percent less than millennials did at their age.
Beverage offerings on the show floor made it clear that drinks can feel indulgent and special without the booze:
Javo brought together two trending ingredients—prickly pear and hibiscus—into their refreshing iced tea.
Lipton’s TAZO frozen chai latte with Chobani oak milk capitalized on two beverage trends: plant-based milk and cold lattes/coffee.
Tractor Beverage Co. served a trio of beverages featuring functional ingredients, such as inulin, a prebiotic that supports digestive health. Their lemongrass soda included a touch of neroli, a honey-sweet oil from orange blossoms.
Global Comforts
Latin dishes have been well represented at Innovations the past few years, and it’s not hard to see why. Consumers have strong familiarity—and fondness—for fare from south of the border, but there’s still so much to explore from the continent.
A few of our exhibitors demonstrated how chefs can stray a little bit away from the usual Latin cuisine without totally alienating less adventurous consumers, satisfying cravings for both comfort and innovation:
John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc.’s take on the picadillo empanada included a cashew olive aioli.
Originating in Mexico, mole is traditionally made by grinding chiles, tomatoes, and other indigenous ingredients. Over time, ingredients like cocoa and espresso have become common additions. Javo served up the more modern take in their espresso mole pulled chicken street tacos.
Despite being indigenous to South America, quinoa is underrepresented in Latin American fare in the States. InHarvest/Riviana made their case for quinoa in their take on quesadillas and chipotle salad.
Some exhibitors drew inspiration from other regions, both in the U.S. and abroad:
Grecian Delight | Kronos served OG Greek cuisine with their original gyro.
Kerry’s coconut shrimp gave attendees a taste of the South Pacific and Caribbean.
Keurig Dr Pepper took us to Louisiana with their clamato chicken and sausage jambalaya.
Your Sourcing Solution
Not all trade shows provide product samples, and it’s even less common to actually know where to source the products you see on the show floor. But Innovations isn’t just any trade show. Everything at the booths is available to source through Dot Foods. Find products from all Culinary Experience participants on our website.