Indiana Presence at National Restaurant Association Show

CHICAGO (May 21, 2025) - Indiana food and beverage companies served up their best products to a global audience of foodservice professionals at the National Restaurant Association Show, held May 17-20 in Chicago, Illinois.

"The National Restaurant Association Show provides an incredible platform for Indiana’s food businesses to shine," said Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith, Indiana's Secretary of Agriculture. "Having six Hoosier companies showcase their locally crafted products to thousands of industry professionals is a testament to Indiana’s vibrant food and beverage innovation. Their dedication to quality and creativity ensures that Hoosier-made products will continue to shape menus and markets across the country."

Through a partnership with the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA), ISDA hosted an Indiana Pavilion within the A Taste of the States pavilion. Here, six Hoosier companies showcased their locally crafted products to thousands of industry professionals looking for the next great addition to their menus and markets.
Indiana Pavilion companies were as follows:

• Culver Duck in Middlebury
• Old Major Market in Indianapolis
• Tell City Pretzel Company in Jasper
• Triple XXX Root Beer in West Lafayette
• Tulip Tree Creamery in Indianapolis
• Smoking Goose Charcuterie in Indianapolis

Brad Smith, owner of Tell City Pretzel Company, exhibited at the National Restaurant Association show for the first time and appreciated exhibiting within A Taste of the States.

“We’ve exhibited at other trade shows before that didn’t have A Taste of the States, but being grouped with other Indiana products was very beneficial,” said Smith. “It brought  together a concentrated audience of industry professionals who were specifically looking for food products, and we were able to meet buyers and distributors that we normally wouldn’t be able to reach from Jasper, Indiana.”

Food Export-Midwest hosted a food service buyers mission alongside the National Restaurant Association Show, offering exclusive meetings between qualified international buyers and U.S. suppliers. Three Indiana companies participated in these targeted meetings to generate global sales and increase exports of Hoosier-made products.

Tulip Tree Creamery, a first-time participant in a Food Export Buyers Mission, expressed enthusiasm about connecting with international buyers.

“It was our first time meeting with someone buying from another country, and it was interesting to learn about the different requirements for each country looking to purchase cheese,” said Laura Davenport of Tulip Tree Creamery. “We met with buyers from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Chile, Costa Rica and a couple other countries. It was really exciting to find out who was interested in our products.”

Don Lamb, director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture expresses his gratitude for these companies’ commitment to Indiana agriculture. 

"These six Hoosier companies represented our state incredibly well. Their passion for quality and innovation was evident in their commitment to attending this show, which is no small feat. It is clear that Indiana’s food and beverage industry is making a powerful impact. These six industry professionals reaffirmed the strength of our state's entrepreneurial spirit.”

NASDA’s A Taste of the States pavilion at the National Restaurant Association Show showcases food and beverage products from all over the United States. The National Restaurant Association Show is the Western Hemisphere’s most influential foodservice event showcasing industry innovations and trends. Each year, the show brings together restaurant operators and foodservice professionals for four days of celebrity-led demos, exhibits, sampling, education, and networking.