PeddlerCon is Arizona’s premier annual exhibition for the food and beverage industry, catering to restaurant owners, chefs, and culinary experts and hosted by Peddler’s Son, a locally-owned wholesale supplier. This year, the event spotlighted over 130 food manufacturers, including over 25 locally owned companies from Arizona such as Frites Street, AZ Lemonade Stand, Sarah Farms, Rango Honey, Hickman’s Family Farms, Kettle Heroes, and Laura’s Gourmet Granola. PeddlerCon is held every year in August and this year the event took place at the Talking Stick Resort.
Attendees enjoyed an exciting chef’s competition featuring three categories and three winners. The winners were:
- Appetizer Round (sponsored by Aloha Shoyu): Joshua Rodriguez-Urroz, Sous Chef at The Scottsdale Resort and Spa.
- Coffee Creations Round (sponsored by Pacific Foods and powered by Passport Coffee & Tea): Thomas Porter, owner of the Coffee Builders.
- Entree Round (sponsored by Sakura Pork): Sandy Santiago, Executive Sous Chef at Footprint Center.
In addition to the competition, the event served as a platform for the latest food industry trends, offering tastings, industry insights, and interactive activities throughout the day. With over 1,250 food industry professionals and guests attending the event, PeddlerCon united key players in the food industry, fostering networking and collaboration. Key features of this year’s event were launching new products in Arizona for the first time and encouraging sustainability in the Arizona market.
Some of the new, exclusive, or sustainable products unveiled at or introduced to Arizona for the first time at PeddlerCon included:
- Divina / FOODMatch – Smoked kalamata olives, Calabrian chili orange spread, Calabrian chili peppers, and tangerine chili marinated olives are all brand-new products to the Arizona market.
- Felicetti Pasta – A groundbreaking organic pasta new to Arizona and crafted in northern Italy, Felicetti pasta offers a more consistent product, labor cost reduction, a lower risk of burning, and a die-cut design to enhance sauce adhesion.
- Urban Roots – Exclusive to Peddler’s Son, this local brand brings fresh, locally grown, nutrient-dense microgreens to the industry. Urban Roots believes in providing only the best environment possible for growing its products.
While most suppliers import seeds internationally, Urban Roots promotes American organic seeds. Urban Roots also has a firm commitment to the community, donating 10% of their yield to local food banks and charities every week.
- Nice Buns – A unique addition to the Arizona market, Nice Buns offers vegan buns and slowly-fermented bread made with a high-hydration dough sourced from regenerative farming practices. This local brand stands out for its commitment to dough quality and sustainability, creating a product unlike anything else currently available.
Peddler’s Son is Arizona’s only independent food distributor serving all corners of the state for over 35 years. With over 150 employees and professionals it has grown to be a significant partner and supplier for Arizona restaurants and foodservice professionals across dozens of food, beverage and supply lines.
