Last updated on June 13th, 2024 at 11:50 am
KeHE Distributors’ annual Holiday Show at McCormick Place in Chicago, held June 8-9, brought together more than 3,000 retailers and suppliers focused on natural, specialty and fresh products appropriate for the upcoming holiday season.
KeHE said new, emerging and familiar “gotta have” items were on display throughout the show floor.
“Our retailer and supplier partners rely on our guidance as to products that will perform well during the upcoming holiday season,” said Brandon Barnholt, president and CEO of KeHE Distributors. “We believe it is critical that we ‘Make On Trend Easy’ for them.
“The passion and enthusiasm from emerging brands, as well as from more established brands was unmistakable at the KeHE Holiday Show.”
Kathryn Shear and Kimberly Kawa of Spins LLC said many brands at the show have taken the initiative to adopt certifications, cater to special diets and incorporate traceable ingredients.
The KeHE Holiday Show is a private, by invitation-only, industry event.
“The results from this year’s show were very gratifying,” said KeHE Chief Commercial Officer Mike Leone. “We saw a 25 percent increase in exhibitor booths, a 20 percent increase in retail customer attendance, and a 256 percent increase in show floor orders placed. These were all records for a KeHE show.”
KeHE Distributors, based in Naperville, Ill., provides natural and organic, specialty and gourmet, international and multicultural and fresh products to more than 30,000 retail outlets throughout North America.
