The Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Minnesota Pavilion is making its return to Chicago for the National Restaurant Association Show/A Taste of the States Show at McCormick Place May 20-23, 2023, as well as the overlapping Sweets & Snacks Expo also at McCormick Place, May 23-25, 2023. The Pavilions will provide space for 16 Minnesota-based food and beverage brands to exhibit and promote their businesses on a national level.
The National Restaurant Association show is the largest annual gathering of foodservice professionals in the Western Hemisphere. The “A Taste of the States” portion — run by the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture — provides U.S. food and beverage companies the opportunity to engage with thousands of buyers in the restaurant, lodging, and foodservice industry.
The Sweets & Snacks Expo is North America’s most comprehensive global confectionery and snack event. Open only to those in the sweets and snacks trade, the show is unrivaled in new product launches, business-building solutions, and innovations in merchandising. The event features the biggest, brightest, latest, and greatest the candy and snack industries have to offer.
“Both of these trade shows offer the chance for unique, face-to-face connections that are integral to helping Minnesota’s food and beverage companies grow,” said MDA Assistant Commissioner Patrice Bailey. “The MDA is thrilled to continue to offer space and resources for these brands to stand out as part of a Minnesota Pavilion.”
The following Minnesota brands will be exhibiting as part of the Minnesota Pavilion at the National Restaurant Association Show:
- AcreMade/Puris
- The Amazing Chickpea
- Captain Ken’s
- Compart Duroc
- Isadore Nut Co.
- Junita’s Jar
- Per Se
- Nordic Waffles
- Peace Coffee
- Stone Gate Foods/Tater Kegs
- SunOpta
- We Are Nuts
The following Minnesota brands will be exhibiting as part of the Minnesota Pavilion at the Sweets & Snacks Expo:
The MDA will also be hosting a reception for Minnesota attendees of both shows on Monday, May 22.
Minnesota Pavilion events are offered through the MDA’s New Markets Program, which works with Minnesota food and beverage companies on business and market development. It helps increase the use of Minnesota agricultural ingredients, create and protect jobs, and promote economic development in Minnesota’s agriculture and food sectors.
This year’s Chicago Pavilions are supported by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), NearestYou, and Naturally Minnesota.
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Media Contact
Logan Schumacher, MDA Communications
651-201-6193
Logan.Schumacher@state.mn.us
