What to Expect From the First Global Cannabis Food Show

November 11, 2019

The show will provide the backdrop for this burgeoning industry to come together and get to understand what are its shared challenges and opportunities.

It might still sit on the fringes of society and certainly the mainstream consumer market, but legalized cannabis is an industry no-one involved in the production, promotion, and selling of grocery food and drink products can afford to ignore.

BDS Analytics, the world’s most respected analysts in the cannabis sector, says the cannabis market will be worth $17.1bn by the end of 2019, growth in the last 12 months of 39%. By 2022 the industry is set to be nearly double the size of today and be worth $31.7bn.

One of the fastest-growing sectors of the cannabis market is edibles, and how cannabis compounds, known as cannabinoids that are non-psychotic can be used in different types of food products, snacks, and beverages. This part of the sector, which is still at its early stages, accounted for 11.4%, worth $9.1bn, of the combined US and Canada legal cannabis market in 2017. But is expected to quadruple in size and be worth $4.1bn by 2022 (AcrView). 

The cannabis edibles sector is currently the largest for recreational use in the US, driven particularly by the legalized distribution in California, Colorado, Nevada, and Washington.

About

Yet so much of the sector remains shrouded in mystery, confusion and misreporting of what actually is legal, and just what is at stake in the future. Which is what the world’s first Cannabis Food Show wants to address.

The chance to bring the legalized cannabis market together and give all its main players, suppliers, manufacturers and retailers the chance to meet, network and discuss the key issues facing the sector. How together, they can maximize the huge opportunities that clearly lie in the future. How can the industry ensure it lives up to expectations and not only hits but even surpasses its growth targets?

The Cannabis Food Show wants to help its exhibitors, suppliers, buyers, and visitors grow the overall market. By putting on two new one-day shows, to be held in San Francisco on July 31, 2020, and in Chicago on August 4.

It will be the first platform the majority of major cannabis edibles businesses will have had to showcase their products, explain what they do and, most importantly, put their products in front of the most influential and important potential cannabis suppliers, distributors and retailers.

Only by meeting, talking, tasting and negotiating are buyers and retailers going to know what is available for them.  

The show is being designed to provide the backdrop for this new, burgeoning industry to come together and really get to understand what are its shared concerns, challenges and opportunities.

How

The main exhibition floor of the Cannabis Food Show will be open to around 100 manufacturers, producers and brand owners across the cannabis edibles sector. Space will be allocated on a first come first serve basis and is open to all players, both big and small.

There will be a chance to see the latest trends in edibles as well as new brand launches covering the main categories, most noticeably from gummies, cakes, brownies, and chocolates.

The Cannabis Food Show will also look at work closely at the hospitality industry and those chefs who see the use of CBD in the ingredients they use in their dishes to help complement the meals they are preparing. Similar to how wine is seen as the perfect partner for many food types.

Particular focus will be given to help exhibitors expand their businesses into new states, territories, and regions as more countries relax their rules around the production and selling of legalized cannabis. The chance to meet new partners in different areas who can help widen their growth strategies first in North America and then potentially around the world.

It will also look at the opportunities for cannabis edibles in the restaurant sector and the emergence of new cannabis-dedicated dining concepts. 

In such a fast-changing market it will also be the chance to meet and hear from influential lobbyists, political, legal and medical analysts about how the cannabis market is likely to expand and develop in the future.

Many of these issues and topics will be covered as part of the dedicated industry conference taking place at the Cannabis Food Show, featuring TED-style talks from leading players and influencers covering the latest trends, analysis, and growth forecasts.

The Cannabis Food Show conference will also include panel debates, offering practical business advice on how delegates can grow their respective cannabis businesses. The focus will be on sharing best practice ideas on how to make the most of cannabis edibles in different channels and the constantly changing legal framework within which producers and retailers need to operate.

The lineup of speakers includes in San Francisco and Chicago:
Tess Kofoid, senior communications director of Self who will talk on Branding and Marketing Your Dispensary To Grow The Topline.

  • Paul Pederson, chief executive at Nexteaf Solutions, covering The Business Of Cannabis Oils and Concentrates.

  • Adam Ross, LGC Standards, on What’s Legal In Cannabis Food and What’s Not?

  • Paul Frantellizzi, chief executive, CINO, who will examine Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

And in San Francisco only:

  • Elise McDonough, brand manager at Confections on Crafting Your Brands PR and Marketing Story.

  • Kristine Sherred, reporter, who will chair a press panel.

Whilst David Banks, marketing director at Flavor & Fragrance, will chair a press panel in Chicago.

Who

The Cannabis Food Show is the latest cutting edge, breakthrough networking event devised and hosted by the Beverage Trade Network. It was the first event organizer to tackle the cannabis and the drinks industry with its inaugural Cannabis Drinks Expo which was held earlier this year in San Francisco and Chicago. The event was such a success it is being held again in 2020 in San Francisco on July 30, 2020, and in Chicago on August 3, 2020.

The Beverage Trade Network also hosts a number of related wine industry events including the International Bulk Wine & Spirits Shows that now take place in the US and China.

Sid Patel, chief executive of Beverage Trade Network and founder of the Cannabis Food Show, said: “The cannabis edibles market is going to be one of the fastest-growing and influential of all consumer goods in the coming years. This will provide exciting new opportunities for the already exploding legalized cannabis market to make the most of.

That is why we are introducing the Cannabis Food Show now. To help everyone in the sector, from manufacturers and suppliers, through the brand owners, supply chain, distributors and retailers not only get on top of the edibles market but help the overall category grow in North America and around the world."

The Cannabis Food Show will be the first to bring the food and cannabis sectors together to really get to grips with what is happening in edibles. Both on the brand and food production side of the cannabis edibles market, but also the huge opportunities there are now for retailers to bring these goods to market. Be it through new retail stores, but also online."

The time is right for cannabis food to have its own dedicated event. After all, despite its fantastic growth, this is still a relatively fresh industry with new players who need the support that a networking, business event like this can deliver."

The Beverage Trade Network has a proven track record of helping new industry sectors grow and prosper and, as with our Cannabis Drinks expo, we see cannabis as one of the most exciting and disruptive new business sectors to hit the consumables market since the smartphone.”

When

The Cannabis Food Show takes place at:

  • The Midwest Conference Center on August 4 between 11 am and 5 pm. For more information and to register, click here
  • The South San Francisco Conference Center on July 31, 2020, between 11 am-5 pm. For more information and to register, click here

About the Author

Richard Siddle

Richard Siddle is an award-winning business editor with over 25 years of experience working across a number of fields including computing, FMCG, grocery and convenience retailing, travel and for the last 10 years wine and spirits. He spent much of that time as editor of Harpers Wine & Spirit where he was widely recognized for having turned one of the UK’s oldest publications into agenda-setting, a must-read for the drinks industry.

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