The Best Products I Tried at the 2023 Winter Fancy Food Show

I just returned to the Sporked office from the Specialty Food Association’s 2023 Winter Fancy Food Show. And I am very excited to tell you: There are so many incredible, creative, and interesting products coming to the grocery store this year.

I tried over 100 products over the course of three days (don’t worry, I’m fine) and these are the ten best things I tasted. These products are 100% Jordan approved and I can’t wait to eat them again in the comfort of my own home.

Chef Bombay Vegetable Samosas

Have you had Trader Joe’s vegetable samosas? These are like those but a million times better. Chef Bombay was started by a family who wanted to bring Indian food to a wider audience. They’ve achieved their goal! Chef Bombay products can be found in various grocery stores across the U.S. (and in Canada, where the company is based), including Target. They’re continuing to expand so be patient and plan to buy these samosas the second they arrive in freezer sections near you.

Runamok Maple Ginger Mule Maple Cocktail Syrup

If you’re interested in impressing your foodiest of friends, make them a cocktail with Runamok’s new maple cocktail syrups. They are so flavorful and complex. Any alcoholic drink or mocktail would be sensational with the use of these. The maple ginger mule was my favorite, but I would (and will) buy any of them. These would also make a great gift for at-home bar aficionados.

 Jayone 100% Plant Based Korean Bulgogi

Jayone Foods is bringing authentic Korean products to affordable retailers like Aldi, Walmart, and Bargain Market Grocery Outlet. I already buy their gochujang so I was excited to try their new 100% plant-based bulgogi that isn’t even on the market yet. The texture of this fake beef was wonderfully chewy and the flavor is that of actual bulgogi. I can’t wait until this comes out so I can buy it weekly.

Maazah Chutney

The Sajady family is a team of four: a mom and her three daughters. They came from a large Afghan family where mom’s “Magic Green Sauce” is famous. Lucky for us, the cilantro and ginger chutney is now available to buy and enjoy at home. Not only does it taste great, it conveniently brings flavors to families who might not have had the chance to try Afghani food. They’ll be in Kroger soon so keep your eyes peeled!

Three Spirit Non-Alcoholic Drinks

Non-alcoholic alcoholic beverages were all the rage at the 2023 Winter Fancy Food Show. Three Spirits offerings were the best I tried. Their drinks are designed to fit certain moods rather than mimic specific types of alcohol. There’s Livener (“the pick me up”), Social Elixir (“the mood maker”), and Nightcap (“the dream maker”). They taste delicious and unique. You can drink them straight up or mix them into cocktails. Either way, you won’t miss booze. You can currently buy it through their website and certain online alcohol retailers.

di Stefano Burrata

It’s no surprise that burrata is good, but di Stefano’s burrata is really good. It was the first thing I tried at the Winter Fancy Food Show and I continued to think about it the rest of the time I was in Las Vegas. It’s creamy, fresh, and reasonably priced. It’s available nationwide at tons of grocery store chains. This will make your next charcuterie board feel like a real taste of Italy.

Yamasa Concentrated Vegan Tonkotsu Ramen Broth

Yamasa was founded in Japan in 1645 so they’ve had a lot of practice making delicious products. In 1992, they came to America and I’m glad they did. Everything we tried from their booth was delicious, but I went absolutely bonkers for their Concentrated Vegan Tonkotsu Ramen Broth. It was the best ramen broth I’ve ever had outside of a restaurant (and better than some restaurant ones too, for that matter). This stuff will really up your at-home soup game. Grab some on Amazon ASAP.

Jinka Plant Based Tuna

Jinka Plant-Based Tuna absolutely rocked my world at the Winter Fancy Food Show. I find a lot of products that try to replicate fish are often super fishy. Like, way fishier than actual fish. Jinka, on the other hand, has a wonderfully mild flavor. I wish real tuna tasted more like this. The texture is meaty and hearty. You can ditch canned chickpeas because this would make the best faux tuna salad.

Chung Hsiang Sweet Afternoon Sesame Nougat Sandwich Crackers

A man at a small booth took a cracker out of a microwave and insisted I try it as I passed by. I was skeptical, but I am polite so I indulged him. Turns out, he was the one doing me a favor. These are so unbelievably incredible. They’re basically two saltines with black sesame nougat in the center. To serve, you microwave them for twelve seconds. I don’t really care about crackers or nougat or sesame, but these changed my life. They’re available on Amazon, Weee!, and in Asian food stores. I hope to see them in every store soon, though.

Konscious Plant-Based California Roll

Konscious is making a vegan California Roll that you defrost from the freezer before eating. Everything about this sounds like it would be bad, but it was actually incredible. It had so much flavor and tasted super fresh. It’s not surprising that this fake seafood is good, though. It was designed by Yves Potvin, the creator of Gardein and Yves Veggie. It’s only available in Canada for the time being, but keep your eyes peeled! They’re planning to expand soon.