KeHE Holiday Show Highlighted New Trends, Products

KeHE’s 2013 Holiday Show, held this past June at Chicago’s McCormick Place, drew the largest number of retailer attendees in the show’s history. Retailers in the natural, specialty and fresh product categories gathered to discover new products for the holidays, as well as year-round “must have” items.

Show highlights included a keynote address by Laurie Demeritt, CEO of The Hartman Group, who shared insights into purchase and consumption trends including “global cuisine made easy,” “quest for vitality,” “healthy snacking” and “free from” (allergen free) foods.

New at this year’s show was KeHE’s Innovation Center, which displayed holiday products, including healthy snacks, global cuisine, vitality-focused items and products featuring third party certifications such as Certified Organic. The center provided a hands-on experience and demonstrated in-store merchandising ideas such as a smoothie bar with drinks customized for energy, cognitive health, relaxation and digestion.

In addition, KeHE showcased deli, bakery, produce and meat products in its Fresh Products Pavilion, which also included a line-up of specialty cheeses from both domestic and international cheese producers. Other merchandising ideas included bakery options for consumers with gluten-free and other dietary restrictions, and a farmer’s market-inspired display featuring products like grass-fed beef.

The show’s Global Olive Oil Experience featured a tasting bar where attendees learned how to taste extra virgin olive oil like a pro. Tom Mueller, author of The New York Times best seller, "Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil," met with retailers to share his passion for extra virgin olive oil and educate them on what to offer their customers.

Romeoville, Ill.-based KeHE Distributors provides Natural & Organic, Specialty & Gourmet, International & Multicultural and Fresh products to over 35,000 retail outlets throughout North America.