Food and beverage trade shows in the United States 2026–27: the calendar and how to choose

The US food and beverage calendar runs all year, but the heaviest months are January to May. Late summer and autumn bring a second wave of retail and supply-chain events.

Winter is for production and equipment: poultry, meat and feed (IPPE in Atlanta), foodservice equipment (the NAFEM Show in Orlando) and the first specialty food show of the year (Winter FancyFaire in San Francisco). Spring brings the natural products, seafood, beverage and restaurant shows. July is ingredients and specialty food, and September to October is grocery and convenience retail.

Confirm hours and dates on each organizer's site before you book travel. The full, live list is on the US food and beverage events page.

Pick the show that matches where you sit in the supply chain. Below are the leading shows for each part of the industry, with their 2026–27 dates.

Natural and healthy products

Natural Products Expo West 2027 runs 2–5 March 2027 at the Anaheim Convention Center, with exhibit halls open 3–5 March. New Hope Network reports 66,000+ attendees, 3,200+ exhibitors and visitors from 110+ countries at the 2026 show. It is trade-only and is where natural, organic and better-for-you brands meet retail buyers, distributors and investors. For the ingredient side of the same market, SupplySide Global 2026 opens its expo hall 28–30 October 2026 at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, with 1,600+ exhibiting companies.

Restaurants and foodservice

The National Restaurant Association Show 2027 runs 22–25 May 2027 at McCormick Place, Chicago. Operators, chefs and buyers walk four days of food, beverage, equipment and technology suppliers; badges come as Expo, Essential and Premium. Equipment buyers should also look at The NAFEM Show 2027, held every two years, on 11–13 February 2027 in Orlando. Independent operators have their own shows: Bar & Restaurant Expo 2027 and International Pizza Expo 2027, both at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Specialty food

The Specialty Food Association runs two shows. Winter FancyFaire 2027 opens the year on 17–19 January at the Moscone Center, San Francisco. The Summer Fancy Food Show 2027 is the flagship, on 25–27 July 2027 at the Javits Center, New York. The 2026 summer show had 2,500+ exhibiting companies from 57 countries and 9,000+ buyer attendees, according to the association.

Food science and ingredients

IFT FIRST 2027, from the Institute of Food Technologists, runs 11–14 July 2027 at McCormick Place, Chicago. It suits R&D, product development and food safety teams; IFT describes the event as featuring 1,000+ exhibitors.

Protein, seafood and dairy

IPPE 2027 fills the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta on 26–28 January 2027; the organizers list 1,300+ exhibitors and expect 32,000+ attendees. Seafood Expo North America 2027 runs 7–9 March 2027 in Boston with Seafood Processing North America alongside. Dairy processors meet at Dairy Forum 2027 in Orlando and World Dairy Expo 2027 in Madison.

Match the show to the person you need to meet. Trade shows are built around a buyer group, and the same product sells very differently at a grocery show and a restaurant show.

Exhibitions (trade shows) are for sourcing and selling: you walk the floor, taste and write orders. Conferences such as Dairy Forum 2027, BevNET Live L.A. 2026 and Groceryshop are smaller and built around sessions and pre-booked meetings. Groceryshop, for example, schedules double opt-in one-to-one meetings between retailers, brands and technology providers.

Farm and agriculture shows are a separate circuit. World Ag Expo 2027 (Tulare, 9–11 February), Commodity Classic 2027 (New Orleans, 3–5 March) and World Pork Expo 2027 (Des Moines, 9–10 June) serve growers and producers rather than food brands.

Most US food and beverage shows are trade-only and charge by registration category, with prices rising closer to the show. A trade visitor is an industry professional who registers to walk the show floor; you will usually be asked for your company and job title, and sometimes for proof of employment.

Prices are as listed on atndr from the organizers' sites at the time of writing; check before you pay. Some shows offer free routes for buyers. Groceryshop's Hosted Program gives qualifying retail and brand leaders a free ticket and travel support in return for scheduled meetings with tech providers.

Common rules worth knowing:

• No public admission. Expo West, the Fancy Food shows, Sweets & Snacks Expo and the Craft Brewers Conference are closed to consumers.
• Age limits. The Restaurant Show admits no one under 16 to the floor; the Summer Fancy Food Show admits no one under 18.
• Refunds. Several shows, including the Specialty Food Association's and Sweets & Snacks Expo, do not refund registrations.

Choose by audience first, then by timing and budget. A useful order of questions:

1. Who do you need to meet? Retail buyers, foodservice operators, distributors, ingredient suppliers or investors. Pick the show whose organizer names that group as its core audience.
2. Does the timing fit your sales cycle? Retail line reviews and new product launches cluster around the spring shows; ingredient and R&D decisions around IFT FIRST in July.
3. Can you get a meeting before you arrive? Most shows run matchmaking or meeting apps. Book meetings two to four weeks out.
4. What will the trip cost? Add registration, flights and hotels. Most large shows publish an official hotel block; booking through it early is usually the safest option.

International visitors should sort entry documents first. Citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries need an approved ESTA, and US Customs and Border Protection recommends applying as soon as you start planning. Everyone else needs a visitor visa. IFT, among others, issues visa invitation letters on request once you register.

For other markets, see atndr's guide to food and beverage events in the UAE, and how to get a free trade show visitor pass.