VSFA Grant Application for Virtual B2B Trade Shows

August 21, 2020

4 min

1570

VSFA Members can apply for a grant that will help to offset the costs of participating in business-to-business trade shows in 2020. Members may be reimbursed for registration costs, up to $475.

Details and Requirements:

Business must be a current, active member of VSFA
Business is already registered with a virtual event and shows confirmation of registration.
Virtual trade shows that occurred March 15 or early are not applicable.
Grant funds will be reimbursed upon completion of participation at said virtual trade show and completion of post-show report survey.
These applications will be granted on a first come first served basis.

Download Grant Application

Please send your application directly to alexandra@vtspecialtyfoods.org.

Applicable Virtual B2B Trade Shows:

VSFA is working on researching what other virtual B2B trade shows are available to members in 2020. If you are interested in one not listed here, please reach out to alexandra@vtspeciatlyfoods.org to confirm it is eligible with our grant.

Good Food's Virtual Mercantile - The Good Food Mercantile is offering a series of weekly tastings where buyers tune in live as they taste along in their shops, the Virtual Mercantile is designed to connect makers and merchants at a time when in person gatherings are limited - yet the desire to support each other abounds.

A few details about participating in Good Food events:

Good Food Guild Membership is REQUIRED to participate in these virtual events.
If you are not a current member of the Good Food Guild, they can get you signed up.
Criteria for Good Food Membership - The sustainability and social responsibility criteria required for joining varies by category, see requirements here.
Their June and July spots are already filled, there are a few August dates available and October is open. If you are interested, we encourage you to register ASAP to secure your spot.

Specialty Food LIVE! 2020: Presented by the (national) Specialty Food Association (SFA) - September 21st - 24th. The (national) Specialty Food Association (SFA) has announced a new 4-day virtual trade show, Specialty Food Live!, that will run from September 21st to September 24th.

"Get ready for four days in September where specialty food maker members will display their products in virtual showcases and stand ready to meet with buyers. It’s an opportunity to see best selling products, learn about new flavors, and get the latest trends from across the industry. This virtual event is designed specifically for retailers and manufacturers to meet one another and do business,” shares SFA

Deadlines and Cost to Participate:

Become an Exhibiting Maker Member - "At Specialty Food Live! 2020, your virtual showroom will allow you to connect with motivated buyers who are there to do business. Showcase your best sellers and new releases and get sales." Learn more and register here.

Cost: $395
Registration cost includes access to build your virtual showroom (booth) and connect with buyers over 4 days.

Register for a Virtual Product Tasting - "If you are an Exhibitor at Specialty Food Live! 2020, you can register to participate in tastings by product category (limited availability) for $199. Spots are limited based on categories and require introduction to the market in the last twelve months." Learn more here.

Cost: $199
Registration Deadline: September 4th.
Please Note: Registration for the Product Tastings is separate to registration for the full virtual event. Producers must be a registered Exhibitor at Specialty Food Live! to participate in a Virtual Product Tasting. Makers are limited to one session each, so you want to apply soon as spots are expected to sell out.

Attend as a Buyer - Specialty Food Live! is free and open to ONLY qualified food industry buyers. There is a buyer fee to attend a Virtual Product Tasting event at $19 each. Buyers may attend as many Virtual Product Tasting sessions as they would like. Learn more here.

Already registered for an upcoming Virtual Trade Show? Apply for the grant right away!

Next Blog Post

Member Spotlight: Benito's Hot Sauce

May 20, 2020

5 min

1529

Benito's Hot Sauce - VSFA Member Benito’s Hot Sauce has been producing their line of Vermont Craft Hot Sauce in Morrisville, VT since 2007. Today, their products can be found in over 300 stores throughout Vermont, New England, and the Northeast. Each year Benito’s sources their ingredients from six local Vermont farms which includes over 8,000 lbs. of chile peppers, fresh organic vegetables, and other farmstead ingredients. Owner Ben Maniscalco says that, “this connection to the Vermont agricultural landscape is incredibly rewarding for us and is also something that our customers value a great deal.”