The New Jersey Business Action Center (NJBAC) will participate as a State Pavilion for the 68th Summer Fancy Food Show for the second year in a row. The event will be held June 23-25, 2024, at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City. NJBAC and its Office of Export Promotion (OEP) will share information with show attendees about export opportunities, the New Jersey State Trade Expansion Program (NJSTEP), and other business services and resources. The NJSTEP initiative is funded in part by the Small Business Administration (SBA). NJBAC and OEP will be hosting 19 New Jersey-based companies new to exporting from underserved and underrepresented business communities, poised for growth with global exports.

“We’re excited to showcase New Jersey businesses for the second year in a row with our State Pavilion at the Fancy Food show,” said Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way, who oversees NJBAC in her capacity as Secretary of State. “Our presence at this event allows us to support New Jersey businesses as they seek to expand and grow, while reflecting the taste, culture, and diversity of the Garden State to an international audience.”

The 19 underserved businesses meet the criteria set forth by the SBA’s small business communities’ definition, which includes, but is not limited to; owned or controlled by women, representing the LGBTQ+ community, Hispanic-Americans, African-Americans, or Veterans and/or service-disabled Veterans. The 19 businesses participating in the Fancy Food event are all NJSTEP clients and approved grant award recipients. The approval of the grant is a NJBAC requirement for participation in the Pavilion. Each business had to apply to join the Pavilion, meeting certain criteria designated by the OEP Team. All businesses were evaluated on a first come, first served competitive basis.

“The Fancy Food Show is an excellent opportunity to introduce these 19 New Jersey companies to the world of exporting,” said Melanie Willoughby, Executive Director of NJBAC. “Our Pavilion will provide a platform to connect these businesses with new vendors that will help them expand their businesses internationally.”

Sponsored annually by the Specialty Food Association (SFA), this show is the largest specialty food trade show in North America, convening over 34,000 attendees from around the world to learn more about consumable products from over 2,000 exhibitors. The 2023 show secured 2,200 exhibitors including 60 countries and entertained over 32,000 attendees over the three-day show. Now in its 68th year, the Fancy Food Show connects businesses with prospective global export partners (buyers, brokers, and distributors) and promotes quality gourmet foods and ingredients. Each of the 19 participating NJSTEP businesses will share more about their specialty products over the three-day show.

New Jersey State Pavilion participants are:
• Chookie LLC – Livingston
• Hank Sauce – Sea Isle City
• Harmony Global Foods – Montclair
• Jersey Girl Hot Sauce – Stockton
• Johnson’s Popcorn – Ocean City
• Kim Chee Pride – Prospect Park
• Ma Ka Khana – Edison
• Madison Park Foods – Brookside
• The Naked Botanical – Mendham
• Pereg Natural Foods – Clifton
• Planted Eats Wholesale – North Caldwell
• Savorx Flavors LLC (The Savorx) – Belle Mead
• Seraphim Social Beverage – Red Bank
• Sohha Savory – Lawrenceville
• Thumb Bread – Hoboken
• Tora Chai – Hillsborough
• Two River Gourmet Mushrooms – Sea Bright
• Undercover Chocolates Company Inc.- East Hanover
• We Are Wonderfully Made – Metuchen

The NJBAC Office of Export Promotion works with small and mid-sized companies interested in expanding sales and their customer base through export, ensuring access to the NJSTEP program for eligible businesses. NJSTEP, funded in part by the Small Business Administration (SBA), provides essential and equitable financial awards on a first come, first serve competitive basis, to eligible domestic New Jersey small businesses new to export, as well as those businesses who currently sell their goods and/or services to other countries.

To learn more about the NJBAC Office of Export Promotion, visit NJ Department of State – NJ Business Action Center. To learn more about STEP, visit NJ Department of State – NJ Business Action Center – NJ STEP.

The New Jersey Business Action Center serves as the State’s liaison to the business community, offering free information, services, and resources across various areas such as business registration, financial programs, regulatory compliance, property selection, workforce training, and more. NJBAC comprises multiple offices, including Small Business, Business Advocacy, Export Promotion, and State Planning. Access to NJBAC services is available through NJ DOS – NJ Business Action Center or Business.NJ.gov: Your first stop for doing business in NJ or by calling 1-800-JERSEY-7.