Emerald, in collaboration with Abasto Media, is spicing up its portfolio with the recent acquisition of Cocina Sabrosa Food & Beverage Trade Expo, the only B2B event in the U.S. solely dedicated to the Latin food and beverage sector.

Formerly a regional event in Southern California, Cocina Sabrosa will be enhanced and expanded to create the first U.S.-based, national Latin food and beverage industry event serving restaurateurs, grocers, suppliers and entrepreneurs within the growing business segment.  

“It’s an honor and privilege to work alongside Abasto to launch this premiere nationwide event, which will drive new business and educational opportunities for the passionate, rapidly growing Latin food and beverage community,” said Andrea Fletcher, brand director and Cocina Sabrosa brand leader at Emerald. “Between Emerald’s expertise in building connected communities and Abasto’s industry knowledge and relationships, we’ll be perfectly poised to deliver the resources, content and connections Latin food service leaders need to prosper.”

The acquisition of Cocina Sabrosa Food & Beverage Trade Expo represents another important step in Emerald’s portfolio optimization strategy by strengthening the company’s food and beverage portfolio of leading brands, including International Pizza Expo, International Artisan Bakery Expo, and SIAL  America, which is co-produced with industry partner Comexposium.

Emerald’s expansion within the Latin market is aligned with the company’s focus on business sectors with high growth potential. According to research by Nielsen, the Hispanic market represents $1.9 trillion in buying power in 2023, an increase of 87% over the last decade.  This sector also accounts for 50% of the growth in the U.S. food and beverage industry between 2005 and 2020, and was valued at $21 billion at the end of that period, according to data released by Statista.

Serving as the only U.S. business hub for the Latin food, beverage and retail industries, Cocina Sabrosa will create new opportunities for retail industry professionals to discover emerging trends and new suppliers from a comprehensive offering of food and beverage products, equipment, technology and professional service providers. Equally, Latin food and beverage suppliers will now have access to a new, focused audience of retailers, allowing for business growth, increased sales and market share.

“We have been envisioning a national Latin food and beverage event for some time by creating an event that will bring our partners and readers together under one roof,” said Gus Calabro, director of Abasto Media. “There is high demand within this segment to create an event like this, and partnering with a world-class company and leader in the events industry like Emerald is now making this a reality.”   

The Cocina Sabrosa Food & Beverage Trade Expo ‘s inaugural national debut will take place Sept. 26-27, 2023, at the Irving Convention Center in Irving, Texas.

In addition to supporting commerce and discovery opportunities, Cocina Sabrosa Food & Beverage Trade Expo will also showcase a conference program and other unique educational opportunities, from food and beverage tastings and service demonstrations to professional training, sales and marketing seminars. More detailed information on scheduled programming will be released in the coming months.

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