Showcase grows 11% to 22,200 square feet, featuring 165 food and beverage companies and 32 NASDA-sponsored buyers from 23 countries.
Press Release
MIAMI — The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture will celebrate the designation of the U.S. as Country of Honor at the 2026 Americas Food & Beverage Show & Conference with its largest “A Taste of the States: Miami” pavilion to date, bringing U.S. food and beverage companies together with international buyers Sept. 14-16 at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
World Trade Center Miami’s Country of Honor designation comes as the U.S. commemorates its 250th anniversary and the Americas Food & Beverage Show celebrates its 30th year. The milestone also recognizes more than 25 years of collaboration among NASDA, World Trade Center Miami and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Caribbean Basin Agricultural Trade Office to showcase U.S. products, connect American suppliers with international buyers and create opportunities for agricultural trade.
NASDA CEO Ted McKinney shared how that longstanding collaboration reaches a new high this year, with “A Taste of the States: Miami” spanning a record 22,200 square feet.
“The Country of Honor designation adds special significance to a landmark year for NASDA’s ‘A Taste of the States: Miami,’” McKinney said. “Our largest pavilion to date has grown 11%, bringing together 165 U.S. food and beverage companies, 12 state departments of agriculture and 32 NASDA-sponsored buyers from 23 countries. Building on more than 1,500 scheduled buyer meetings last year, we are opening even more doors for U.S. suppliers to build relationships, enter new markets and increase exports.”
Among the 12 states participating, Michigan joins the show for the first time, along with seven U.S. agricultural trade cooperative organizations. World Trade Center Miami President and CEO Ivan Barrios expanded on the partnerships established through A Taste of the States: Miami and Americas Food and Beverage Show.
“Naming the U.S. as Country of Honor for the Americas Food & Beverage Show’s 30th anniversary is a milestone moment for us,” Barrios said. “As the show returns to celebrate three decades of connecting the hemisphere’s food and beverage industry, and as our nation marks its own 250th anniversary, there is no more fitting way to honor that legacy than by spotlighting American agriculture on this stage. This recognition reflects more than 25 years of collaboration among World Trade Center Miami, NASDA and USDA’s Caribbean Basin Agricultural Trade Office, and we are proud to keep building the bridges that connect U.S. producers with buyers across the Americas and beyond.”
Record U.S. showcase brings states, companies and agricultural organizations together
Produced by NASDA in cooperation with USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, “A Taste of the States: Miami” provides small and midsized U.S. companies with a platform to introduce products to international buyers, develop business relationships and pursue opportunities in markets around the world.
In addition to the 178 participating companies and organizations, including 165 food and beverage companies, seven U.S. agricultural trade organizations will also participate: Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, Food Export Midwest, Food Export Northeast, National Watermelon Promotion Board, Southern U.S. Trade Association, U.S. Meat Export Federation and USA Poultry & Egg Export Council.
Together, exhibitors in the “A Taste of the States: Miami” pavilion will showcase a diverse range of U.S. products for international buyers representing foodservice, retail, distribution, manufacturing and other sectors.
Buyers Mission connects U.S. suppliers with buyers from 23 countries
A central component of “A Taste of the States: Miami” is NASDA’s international Buyers Mission, which brings qualified buyers directly to the pavilion for targeted meetings with U.S. suppliers. NASDA works closely with USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service posts around the world to identify participants and connect them with U.S. companies based on product interests and market opportunities.
Through prearranged business-to-business matchmaking and connections throughout the show, the program gives U.S. companies direct access to importers, distributors and other international decision-makers while helping buyers discover new American products and suppliers.
‘The Global Table’ celebrates International Year of the Woman Farmer
In recognition of the International Year of the Woman Farmer, NASDA will host “The Global Table: Where Agriculture, Food and Opportunity Meet,” bringing together leaders from agriculture, retail and the culinary sector to explore how women are expanding market opportunities, building connections and driving growth in the U.S. and around the world.
The conversation will examine shared challenges and opportunities related to market access and collaboration. Panelists will highlight the connections among farmers, chefs and agribusinesses and explore how greater collaboration can open new pathways for growth, expand access to markets and elevate women’s contributions across the global supply chain.
The panel will feature chef Tania Harris, a James Beard Award semifinalist and South Carolina Department of Agriculture chef ambassador alum; Allison “Alli” Tucker, director of sales at Maple Leaf Farms; and Hannah McGee, a farmer and agricultural entrepreneur who serves as an international marketing representative for the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Megan Weeks, NASDA senior director of international trade programs, will moderate.
The discussion will take place Monday, Sept. 14, from 11:15 a.m. to noon in the conference area in Hall A at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
Live chef demonstrations throughout all three days of the show will showcase products from “A Taste of the States: Miami” exhibitors, including featured demonstrations highlighting women-owned companies and their products.
Attendees can also explore participating companies and products through the “A Taste of the States: Miami” online exhibitor directory, which allows buyers to identify suppliers, explore products and make connections before and during the show.
Follow NASDA Trade Shows and the Americas Food & Beverage Show & Conference on Instagram, X and Facebook for updates throughout the show.
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NASDA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit association that represents the elected and appointed commissioners, secretaries and directors of the departments of agriculture in all 50 states and four U.S. territories. NASDA grows and enhances American food and agricultural communities through policy, partnerships and public engagement. To learn more about NASDA and its trade programs and trade policy, visit www.nasda.org.
“A Taste of the States: Miami” connects U.S. food and beverage suppliers with buyers and partners from around the world. The pavilion helps meet rising international demand for high-quality U.S. agricultural products by showcasing innovative companies from across the country. NASDA collaborates closely with USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service and its global network to recruit qualified international buyers representing sectors such as foodservice, distribution, retail and manufacturing. The pavilion serves as a key element of NASDA’s broader strategy to increase U.S. agricultural exports, diversify market opportunities and strengthen rural economies through international trade. To learn more, visit www.nasda.org/tradeshows.
Produced by World Trade Center Miami, the Americas Food & Beverage Show & Conference is a premier international business-to-business event connecting food and beverage professionals through trade, networking and education. Now celebrating its 30th year, AF&B remains committed to supporting small and midsized enterprises as they grow into the global marketplace. For more information, visit www.americasfoodandbeverage.com.
