what is handcrafted eats? · our larger event sponsors will not only reach these important food...
TRANSCRIPT
What is Handcrafted Eats?
Handcrafted Eats is a brand new, two-day food event that celebrates small-batch, craft foods & beverages and the artisans who create them. It debuts Oct. 27-28, 2012 in Austin, Texas.
Often limited to selling at local farmers’ markets or their own storefronts, food craftspeople told us they wanted new ways to get their products in front of new groups of food enthusiasts who embrace the nuances of craft foods, and enjoy engaging with the people whose hands actually make what they eat.
Handcrafted Eats/Austin will take place at the Shoal Crossing Event Center, a new, centrally situated event venue located at 8611 N. Mopac Expressway, just south of Hwy. 183.
Afterwards, we’ll be taking Handcrafted Eats to other U.S. cities in 2013.
It will be fun.
What Will Handcrafted Eats Look Like?
Handcrafted Eats is part sampling event and part demo/educational event. We’re creating an opportunity for serious foodies to explore, sample and enjoy new craft foods and beverages, while learning new things about food that inspires them to experience it in new ways.
In the works are educational tasting demos, pairings seminars and more.
Handcrafted Eats is curated, which means we’ll be carefully reviewing vendor applications to ensure they fit our theme and to we deliver on our promise to attendees. There’s an application process that could involve submitting review samples, and some brands might not be a fit. That said, it’s all aimed at making sure we present the ‘best of the best’ to food consumers who care about their food choices.
Lastly, Handcrafted Eats’ exhibitors will be able to sell their products to attendees who need more than a taste.
Our Attendees
You might be surprised to learn we’re not aiming for the lowest common denominator when it comes to our event attendees. We care more about quality than quantity.
Handcrafted Eats is a “21 and over,” ticketed event appealing to the serious, committed food enthusiast who is tired of all the mass-produced, over-processed food choices containing unpronounceable ingredients and unhealthy preservatives.
Austin, which consistently ranks among America’s top food cities, boasts a vibrant, adventurous and entrepreneurial foodie community that’s perfect for this event. A 2010 study by Bundle.com, ranked Austin #1 in the U.S. for its average annual household food spending, with nearly half of the $12,447 going to non-restaurant food purchases.
Handcrafted Eats is designed for those who embrace simplicity. They care about ingredients. And it matters to them how food is made. They also want food makers to demonstrate passion for their work, pay attention to the quality of ingredients, honor sustainability practices, and respect the chain of labor required to take raw ingredients from the field to the finished product.
What We’re Looking For
Handcrafted Eats is searching nationwide for the best-of-the-best, small-batch foods and beverages, such as:
• Chocolates and confections• Farmstead cheeses• Jams and jellies• Sauces and salsas• Baked goods• Granola and snack bars• Meats and charcuterie• Desserts• Condiments• Craft beer, spirits and wine*
Apply online to exhibit at http://bit.ly/HE_Application.
*subject to venue permitting, local regulations and licensing
Event Marketing
The people behind Handcrafted Eats have spent decades working in public relations and creating exclusive, invitation-only media events for specialty food brands, so they know how important it is for exhibitors and sponsors to get noticed.
Media-driven publicity and PR programs will be the centerpiece of our event marketing, helping to promote our exhibitors and sponsors from start to finish.
To support the PR outreach, social media also will be very visible at Handcrafted Eats, as we’ll be using numerous social media tools to start and keep the conversation going. After all, nearly half of all consumers are now learning about food through social media, and are looking for ways to engage with other like themselves.
Finally, we’ll be partnering with local media sponsors to drive event attendance and traffic to our website, further exposing your brand to consumer buyers.
Why Exhibit?
Handcrafted Eats presents a unique focus on craft foods that appeal to informed foodie consumers willing to pay a premium price for premium products -- precisely the people your food brand wants to reach.
Our larger event sponsors will not only reach these important food consumers, they’ll also align themselves with supporting small, local businesses, regarded by many as the essence of sustainability and good corporate citizenship.
Online, our exhibitors and sponsors will build their brand exposure on our website and in multiple email marketing campaigns.
Why Exhibit?
Handcrafted Eats enables your brand to:
• Reach serious, passionate food consumers• Increase market visibility• Boost retail sales• Meet local food writers and bloggers to support PR programs• Test market new flavors among real consumers• Solicit customer feedback• Expand your social media networks• Align yourself with other premium food brands
Custom Sponsorships
You want to be involved in Handcrafted Eats, but you’re an established brand that falls outside the “craft” or “artisanal” food boundaries.
No problem. Handcrafted Eats offers a limited number of premium sponsorships to premium culinary and lifestyle brands that want to reach and engage with our audience of discerning foodies. These could include seminar sponsorships, official tote bag sponsorships, brand visibility on our step-and-repeat, or even a VIP Lounge to offer exclusive tastings.
We enjoy getting creative, so all sponsorship opportunities will be customized to meet the needs of each brand.
Contact Jeff Davis at 281.727.8248 (mobile) or [email protected] to discuss what you have in mind and what you want to accomplish.
Fees & Other Details
The fee for invited companies to exhibit at Handcrafted Eats is $425.
One booth size. One price.
That gets you a 10’x10’ space, a 6-foot table with linens, and admission for two people. You’re free to bring branded backdrops, table drapes/runners, floor stands and POS material that will fit into that space.
NOTE: Homemade foods are not allowed at Handcrafted Eats. Only foods made in a licensed, commercial kitchen can be sampled, served or sold. Exhibitors must also obtain all necessary temporary food service and sales tax permits, and we’re coordinating with the local Department of Health to provide you with all the information you need to make it as easy as possible. Proof of liability insurance will also required.
Contact & Connect
Jeff Davis, Founder & ProducerHandcrafted Eats281-727-8248 (mobile)www.HandcraftedEats.com
Twitter.com/HandcraftedEats
Facebook.com/HandcraftedEats