Trade group SNAC International announced March 5 that the show, scheduled for March 22-24 in Charlotte, N.C., has been canceled. Rescheduling this year is a possible option, according to a statement from Elizabeth Avery, president and CEO of SNAC International.
“As a result of the impact of significantly reduced anticipated attendance related to recent corporate travel restrictions, SNAC International has made the difficult decision to cancel its annual main event, SNAXPO 2020,” Avery said in a statement on SNAC International’s website. Registration fees will be refunded, and SNAC International will discuss options including full refunds with exhibitors and sponsors.
The news comes on the heels of cancellations of two other major food trade shows: Natural Products Expo West, which had been set to begin March 3, and the Boston seafood show, which had been scheduled for March 15-17.
Small food companies that had been planning to roll out products at Natural Products Expo West are now scrambling to make alternate plans. The Wall Street Journal reports that some companies that had planned to exhibit not only lose what was “their Super Bowl,” but in some cases may be facing expenses for clearing out shipments of samples that had already arrived on the floor of the Anaheim (Calif.) Convention Center. An official of New Hope Network, the show’s organizer, said the organization was looking into future credits and other compensation.
