The Flavor Experience

Name

The Flavor Experience

Website

https://flavorexperience.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Foodservice Industry Conferences and Events

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAGAFAE

Food, Wine & Beverage Festivals/Expos

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Exhibitions, Fairs & Expos (Consumer/Public)

SECONDARYTHAJAGAL

Food Festivals & Culinary Events (Ticketed Tastings, Pop-ups)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Food & Drink Experiences (Culinary Tours, Tastings, Cooking Classes)

Keywords

• Foodservice conference events
• Menu development trends
• Flavor innovation networking
• B2B event sponsorships
• Foodservice industry media

Headquarters

HQ city

Newport Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Event Registration: Revenue generated from attendee registration fees for the annual Flavor Experience conference. The event targets high-volume food and beverage menu developers from forward-thinking brands in the foodservice industry.
2. Sponsorship Packages: Revenue from food and beverage suppliers and commodity boards that sponsor the event at various tiers (Pinnacle, Gold, Platinum, Silver, Tabletop, Coffee, Culinary Education, and Good Cause Partners). Sponsors provide trend-forward F&B offerings served throughout the event.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Flavor Experience is an annual three-day foodservice industry conference held each August in Southern California that brings together high-volume food and beverage menu developers for trend-forward content, peer-to-peer networking, sponsor showcases, and tasting experiences. It is complemented by the Flavor Playbook, a digital publication showcasing the bites and sips served at the event. The event is produced in association with the Flavor & The Menu media brand.

Product overview

The Flavor Experience operates as an annual conference and content platform for the foodservice industry. The core offering is the annual Flavor Experience conference (2026 edition scheduled for August 2-4 in Newport Beach, California), supplemented by the Flavor Playbook digital publication. The event is organized by Flavor & The Menu magazine and features trend-forward food and beverage content, general sessions, breakout workshops, sponsor showcases, and tasting experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Flavor Experience Annual Conference Three-day annual conference held each August in Southern California, bringing together high-volume food and beverage menu developers from forward-thinking restaurant and foodservice brands for trend-forward content, peer-to-peer networking, sponsor showcases, breakout sessions, and tasting experiences.
• Flavor Playbook A digital PDF flipbook showcasing the bites and sips served at the annual Flavor Experience event, designed as a playbook of inspiration to spark creativity in attendees' menu development processes.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, key and minor.

• Flavor & The MenucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlavor & The Menu is the parent media brand that founded and supports The Flavor Experience. Founded in 2000, Flavor & The Menu is a valuable resource for the foodservice industry, known for its annual Top 10 Trends issue. Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Cathy Nash Holley has been involved since inception.
• VEA Newport Beach (Marriott)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe 2026 Flavor Experience is hosted at the VEA Newport Beach, a Marriott resort that has recently undergone major renovation. Located six miles from Orange County's John Wayne Airport (SNA), the venue offers ocean views and expansive indoor/outdoor spaces. It previously hosted the event for several years.
• Pinnacle Partners (Multiple F&B Suppliers)keyGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor sponsors including California Milk Advisory Board, Cuisine Solutions, Dole, Ghirardelli, Ingredion, Idaho Potato Commission, Land O'Lakes, Kikkoman, Chobani, Mane, Monin, Mountaire, Texas Pete, USA Dry Pea & Lentton Council, American Beverage, Custom Culinary, Danone, California Walnuts, Stonefire, Twang, Sweet Street, Bush Beans, Miniat, Vibrant Beverage. These sponsors provide trend-forward F&B offerings throughout the event.
• Gold Partners (Multiple F&B Suppliers)keyGTM or Marketing PartnerGold tier sponsors including Arctic Apples, BAF, Barilla, Avocados from Mexico, Rubix Foods, California Avocado Commission, Epi Breads, French Gourmet, National Watermelon Promotion Board, Damascus Bakery, Honeys Smokehouse Fish, Givaudan, Nate's Honey, David's Cookies, Sambazon, California Dates, Olipop, Krusteaz, Nestle Professional, Sun Orchard, Smithfield, Red Bull, Oatly. These sponsors provide food and beverage products for the event.
• Platinum Partners (Multiple F&B Suppliers)keyGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum tier sponsors including Kettle Cuisine, Daybreak Citrus, Dessert Holdings, King's Hawaiian, Nestle Waters, AFP, Alaska Seafood, Ferrero Foodservice, National Honey Board, Armanino Foods, Michael Foods, Marzetti, SH Foods, Sugar Foods, Lee Kum Kee, American Egg Board, Wells Enterprises, Unilever Food Solutions, JSL Foods, Good Food, Tampa Maid, Sensient Flavors, The Wine Group, UNOX. These are major industry suppliers providing products for the event.
• SteeliteminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTabletop partner providing tabletop solutions for the event.
• Westrock CoffeeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCoffee partner providing coffee services for the event.
• Perfect Puree, Mike's Hot Honey, National Mango BoardminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver tier sponsors providing specialty ingredients for the event.
• California Restaurant Foundation, COREminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGood Cause partners associated with the event, supporting social responsibility initiatives.
• Johnson & Wales University - College of Food Innovation and TechnologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCulinary Education Partner. Jason Evans, Dean of the College of Food Innovation and Technology at Johnson & Wales University, is a featured speaker at the event.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• NAFEM (North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers): Biennial B2B trade show for commercial food equipment manufacturers, with a strong operator and menu-developer attendee base. Comparable as a foodservice industry event whose exhibitor/sponsor ecosystem overlaps with Flavor Experience's supplier pool.
• Natural Products Expo West: The largest B2B trade show for the natural and organic products industry, featuring CPG brands, ingredient suppliers, and foodservice buyers. Comparable as a multi-tier sponsored industry event with strong overlap on attendee demographics and brand exhibitors.
• Specialty Food Association Fancy Food Show: Premier B2B trade event for specialty food and beverage producers, hosted by the Specialty Food Association. Comparable as a supplier-funded industry event targeting menu-makers and buyers evaluating new ingredients and trend-forward products.
• Nightclub & Bar Show: Leading B2B trade event for the on-premise beverage and nightlife industry, attracting bar operators, beverage directors, and F&B suppliers. Comparable as a foodservice industry event with tiered sponsorship and menu-product decision-makers in attendance.
• ProFood Tech: B2B trade event for food and beverage processing and packaging technology, addressing both food production and foodservice operators. Comparable as a sponsored industry event targeting cross-functional food industry decision-makers.
• International Pizza Expo: The leading annual B2B trade event for the pizza segment of foodservice, with strong supplier sponsorship and operator attendance. Directly comparable as a verticalized foodservice industry event with multi-tier sponsorship and an operator-focused attendee base.
• National Restaurant Association Show: The largest annual B2B foodservice industry trade show in the U.S., bringing together operators, menu developers, and F&B suppliers. Directly comparable to Flavor Experience as a foodservice industry event funded by exhibitor/sponsor dollars and targeting similar buyer personas.
• International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE): Triennial B2B trade show for the commercial baking industry, jointly produced by ABA, BEMA, and RBI. Comparable as a foodservice industry event with heavy supplier sponsorship and an operator/manufacturer attendee overlap with The Flavor Experience.
• Coffee Fest: B2B trade event series for the specialty coffee sector, featuring roasters, suppliers, and foodservice operators. Comparable as a smaller, verticalized foodservice event with multi-tier sponsorship structure and a curated menu-developer audience.
• SIAL America: North American edition of the global SIAL food innovation exhibition network, focused on food and beverage products, trends, and supplier-operator matchmaking. Comparable as a B2B food industry event with tiered sponsorship and producer/supplier exhibit presence.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/theflavorexperience
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-flavor-experience

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Flavor Experience