New tool will provide actionable, data-driven intelligence to SFA members beginning Q1 2026
New York, NY — [February 12, 2026] — The Specialty Food Association (SFA) today announced the forthcoming launch of a new data and insights tool developed in partnership with MenuData and The Food Institute. The platform is scheduled to debut later in Q1 and will provide SFA members with no-cost access to industry-specific data and trends across retail, foodservice, social media, and more.
As pricing pressure, shifting consumer behavior, and rapid innovation reshape the food and beverage landscape, business owners need more than static reports and slow-moving insights. SFA’s new insights platform answers this need by consolidating trusted data sources into a single, actionable resource tailored to the specialty food ecosystem.
The platform will integrate:
- SFA’s proprietary industry knowledge curated from decades of specialty food market research
- MenuData’s real time intelligence, which identifies trends across foodservice, retail, and social and tracks adoption, pricing, and trend velocity across U.S. restaurants and retailers
- The Food Institute’s market analysis and editorial intelligence, providing context on macroeconomic forces, supply chain risks, and competitive dynamics
Together, this data will offer SFA members a clearer line of sight into where demand is emerging, which categories are gaining traction, and how manufacturers, retailers, and operators are responding in real time.
“The specialty food industry is moving too fast for intuition alone,” said Mary Beth Vultee, SVP of Membership at SFA, “which makes data more than a ‘nice to have’ — it’s a competitive advantage. By bringing together trusted market intelligence in one place, we’re giving our members clearer visibility into where demand is heading and how to respond faster and more strategically in a rapidly changing marketplace.”
The new tool was developed to empower both established companies and emerging brands with limited time and funds to make more informed decisions, quickly and confidently. Early features will include trend tracking, category benchmarking, and customizable insights.
For illustrative purposes only.
“Social media and restaurant menus are early indicators of where consumer demand is headed,” said MenuData CEO Sunny Khamkar. “By combining real-time menu and social intelligence with broader market and retail context, this platform will help companies anticipate change instead of reacting to it.”
“Data without context is noise,” said Brian Choi, Managing Partner and CEO of The Food Institute. “Our role is to ensure the insights delivered through this platform are grounded in market reality—connecting the dots between consumer behavior, economic signals, and business outcomes.”
Further details on platform functionality, access, and rollout will be announced in the coming months. The Phase 1 pilot will include a cohort of approximately 25 SFA members. Interested members may submit a request to memberbenefits@specialtyfood.com to be included in the forthcoming Phase 2 pilot.
At a moment when entrepreneurs face difficult headwinds in starting and scaling a food business, this offering is one among many new and evolving benefits available to SFA members: twice-annual in-person seminars, complimentary product photography, the sofi and Good Food Awards, and more. The data and insights tool pilot will expand to accommodate additional SFA members in Q2, and again in Q3, with plans to evolve and optimize based on member feedback before rolling out no-cost access to all members in the future.
About the Specialty Food Association
The Specialty Food Association (SFA) was founded in 1952 and is the not-for-profit trade association of the $219-billion specialty food industry. Representing more than 4,400 businesses worldwide, SFA champions industry participation and success for a diverse community of makers, buyers, importers, distributors, and service providers by producing events, programs, and year-round resources and education. SFA owns and operates the Summer Fancy Food Show, Winter FancyFaire*, and the sofi™ Awards, which have honored excellence in specialty food and beverage annually since 1972. Find out more at Specialtyfood.com, and connect with SFA on LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
About MenuData
MenuData’s real time intelligence identifies trends across foodservice, retail, and social, tracking adoption, pricing, and trend velocity across U.S. restaurants and retailers. For more information, please visit www.menudata.ai.
About The Food Institute
The Food Institute delivers trusted market news, data and trends for the food and beverage industry. For more information, please visit www.foodinstitute.com.
Media Contact:
Press@specialtyfood.com
