Made in Italy is set to shine in San Diego as the Winter Fancy Faire 2026 will open its doors from January 11–13 at the San Diego Convention Center, transforming the city into the world capital of specialty food and beverages. Formerly known as the Winter Fancy Food Show, the rebranded event reflects a more immersive, innovation-driven format and remains one of the most authoritative agrifood trade shows in North America.
Owned by the Specialty Food Association (SFA)—the leading U.S. food network founded in New York in 1952 and representing more than 3,000 members worldwide—the Winter Fancy Faire, together with its summer edition, is a cornerstone event for the global agrifood industry.
Italy once again plays a starring role with a prominently positioned Italian Pavilion at the entrance of the international area. Organized and curated by Universal Marketing, the exclusive Italian agent of SFA, the pavilion spans over 800 square meters, hosts 80 booths, and features around 60 Italian companies, alongside four Italian regions—Piedmont, Lazio, Calabria, and Sicily—showcasing their distinctive supply chains and reinforcing Italy’s strong territorial identity.
“Italian participation has been extraordinarily high,” said Donato Cinelli, President of Universal Marketing. “This is a strong signal of the confidence our companies place in a project that has been developed over more than thirty years.”
At the heart of the pavilion is the Italian Trade agency Lounge, dedicated to promoting Italy’s gastronomic excellence, with curated areas for cured meats and cheeses, the Italian aperitivo, and coffee, celebrating tradition and innovation.
“We are proud to celebrate in San Diego the recent inclusion of Italian cuisine in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage,” said Erica Di Giovancarlo, Director of the Italian Trade Agency New York and Coordinator of the U.S. network. “Despite tariffs, American buyers continue to trust and value Italian quality production.” Her remarks come at a pivotal moment for the sector. Italian agrifood exports to the United States reached a record USD 5.7 billion in the first eight months of 2025, marking +1.8% growth, despite new tariff policies. Italy remains the fourth-largest agrifood supplier to the U.S., after Mexico, Canada, and Brazil, with a 3.5% market share (down slightly from 3.7% year-on-year).
While products such as water, pasta, vegetable preserves, and processed meats continue to top U.S. consumer preferences, several traditional categories recorded declines compared with the same period in 2024: wine (-2.7%), olive oil (-12.5%), cheese (-15%), vinegar (-15%), and ice creams (-0.9%). Against this backdrop, San Diego represents a strategic showcase for regaining market share.
“With the launch of Winter Fancy Faire—the first new SFA show in over 25 years—it is a great pleasure to collaborate once again with our long-standing Italian partners and Universal Marketing,” said Bill Lynch, President of the Specialty Food Association. “From the exhibition halls to San Diego’s Little Italy, Italian cuisine will define the identity of the event and deliver an experience that delights all attendees.” The official opening ceremony of the Italian Pavilion will take place on the show’s inaugural day, underscoring Italy’s central role in an edition that positions San Diego as the new winter home of global food excellence.