The Americas Food and Beverage Show was held in Miami Beach Convention Center Sept. 12-13. May Song and Mary Lee, our staff most dedicated to finding delicious and healthy foods, attended the event.
While much smaller than the Fancy Food Show in New York, this modest show hosted over 400 exhibitors from over 25 countries, presenting some real winners that we would like to share.
Fabulous food
Pocas is an international supplier of natural, organic and healthy products from around the world. Korean style dumplings are Pocas’ latest product — a food worth watching and waiting for!
As a native of northern China, where dumplings are a common dish, May is very particular about this food. Even though Pocas’ dumplings are filled with different ingredients, these Korean dumplings made the grade. The vendor served them fried, showcasing their thin and delicate skin at its very best — tender, crispy, and delicious!
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If you’re not familiar with broghies, (we weren’t) they are large, bowl-shaped, popped-grain crackers, internationally popular with people on special diets. May and Mary were impressed with the popped wheat, as a light and tasty alternative to bread.
Broghies are crunchy, fat-free and versatile. While often made on-site, these Canadian broghies are ready-packaged, and last up to six months. They contain no sugar, oil, artificial colors, artificial flavors or preservatives, and can be used in place of any bread, bagel, cracker or chip. For those with a sensitivity to wheat, they also come in puffed corn.
Above-average Beverages
Indi Organic Soda Pop had the best balance of flavors in ginger beer. Not-too-sweet, this refreshing beverage combines three healing botanicals: ginger, lime peel and cinnamon for a spicy brew with digestive and anti-inflammatory properties.
Indi products are imported from Spain and are already very popular in Europe. They also offer other exotic flavors like Seville orange, black kola nut, strawberry tonic, and good old ginger ale.
AllWello’s cold-pressed Organic Berry Delight
Miami local distributor AllWellO presented their cold-pressed organic berry delight. A rich blend of fruit and vegetable juices, this delicious beverage is packed with nutrition.
Because it is cold-pressed, this juice retains the natural vitamin and mineral content with a fresh, clean flavor. Each 11.1 oz. bottle carries the energy and antioxidants of organic cherries, raspberries, cranberries, purple carrots, strawberries, mulberries and bilberries.
Savia is a Korean producer of aloe vera-based drinks. Of the three aloe vera products present at the show, Savia’s original was our top pick. Compared with the others it was mildly sweet.
Aloe vera is well known for many health benefits, and is said to help remove toxins from the body, boost the immune system, and promote healthy skin. Savia offers many flavors of aloe vera-based drinks, as well as a number of invigorating teas to help busy people stay healthy and alert throughout their hectic days.
Itaueria’s cashew juice was a pleasant surprise. Who knew that what we consider the cashew nut is actually the single seed of the cashew apple? We didn’t! This small fruit is very high in Vitamin C, containing six times that of an orange!
One bottle of refreshing cashew juice will give your body a real boost of this important nutrient, which promotes healthy blood vessels, skeletal growth and immunity, while providing active antioxidants. Itaueria’s Brazilian products are offered in a variety of flavors, with low-sugar organic and conventional options.
Divine desserts
Local to the Miami area, Avalange accurately describes their Chilean imports as an explosion of flavor.
While it’s not a new idea to dip frozen fruit in chocolate, Avalange adds an interesting twist with variety — offering not only strawberries dipped in milk chocolate, but also blueberries covered in both white and milk chocolate, cherries and raspberries covered in dark chocolate, and raspberries dipped in white and milk chocolate — all conveniently packaged in a six-ounce ice cream container.
The flavor reaches its peak after 15 minutes at room temperature as the fruit thaws, while the chocolate coating stays cool and crunchy.
Woket Group’s Fructone Mango puree
Woket Group is a Columbian producer of Fructone products — liquid fruit ready to use in various beverages, desserts, dressings and more. Mechanical extraction from fresh fruit ensures a fresh, color, flavor, texture and scent in a product that lasts up to 18 months.
The mango puree that we tried was a dessert in itself! Plus it contains glutamine acid, which is said to improve memory, Vitamin C to aid in the assimilation of other nutrients, and Vitamin A to promote healthy eyesight.
The Brazil section of the show had several products containing açaí — a dark purple berry from the South American palm tree that is widely considered a superfood. Having tasted many sorbets over the years, we found this one quite special. Made of pure USDA certified organic açaí, it was very smooth and mildly sweet.
Amazon Polpas emerged in 2005 to help açaí become widely popular, with the hope of bringing greater health and energy to people around the world. The company is environmentally responsible, and focuses on minimizing its impact while processing more than 220 tons of acai per day.
This report offers a review of several products featured at the 2022 America’s Food and Beverage Show. Reporting by May Song and Mary Lee.
