The annual “UnFancy Cocktail Party” after the New York Fancy Food Show
2024, The UnFancy Cocktail Party VIII: This is, Like, Truly, Not Fancy.
The annual Green Circle UnFancy Cocktail Party will take place after the NY Fancy Food Show on Monday June 24th 2024, just a ten-minute walk from the Javits Center, at Lavan Studios, at 541 West 25th Street in Manhattan. Doors open at 7:30PM. Complimentary cocktails and food from the world-famous Carbone Restaurant (and others) will be served.
2023, The UnFancy Cocktail Party VII: the most unfanciest.
The annual Green Circle UnFancy Cocktail Party will take place after the NY Fancy Food Show on Monday June 26th 2023, just a ten-minute walk from the Javits Center, at Lavan Studios, at 541 West 25th Street in Manhattan. Doors open at 8PM. Complimentary cocktails and food from the world-famous Carbone Restaurant (and others) will be served.
2022, The UnFancy Cocktail Party VI returned, less fancy than ever.
The annual Green Circle UnFancy Cocktail Party took place after the NY Fancy Food Show and Project Nosh NY, on June 13th 2022, just a ten-minute walk from the Javits Center, at Lavan Studios, at 541 West 25th Street in Manhattan. Music by DJ Samantha Michelle. Doors at 8PM, gameshow at 9PM. Complimentary cocktails and food from the famous Carbone Restaurant (and others) was served.
2020, UnFancy (Virtual) Cocktail Party V
On June 29, 2020 the party was held virtually, by video. The format included informative discussion among the incredible industry experts on our panel (listed below) and guest appearances by Brad Barnhorn as well as Phil Kafarakis (the outgoing CEO of the Specialty Food Association). The panelists were also challenged with trivia questions in three categories: Food Science, Food & Bev M&A Deals, and Questions About Themselves. Panelists include:
- Operator: Eric Skae, Managing Partner, The Bricktown Group (and former CEO of Rao’s Homemade)
- Asset based Lender: Jessica Bates, Director, Dwight Funding
- Attorney: Jeremy Halpern, Partner and Co-Chair, Food and Beverage Group, Nutter
- Strategic Investor: Kelvin Vuong, Head of Corp. Strategy, Ocean Spray
- VC: Steve Dollase, Partner, IdeaFarm Ventures (focused on Consumer, including digitally native brands)
2019, UnFancy Cocktail Party IV
On Monday evening June 24, 2019 Green Circle hosted our annual cocktail event after the NY Fancy Food Show. Once again, Stu Strumwasser, Green Circle’s Founder and Managing Director, moderated a panel of rockstar institutional investors who focus on the natural products space.
2019 investor panel from left to right: Moderator Stu Strumwasser (Green Circle), Eric Skae (Bricktown Group), Jeremy Halpern (Nutter), Tom Allison (Zx Ventures), Melissa Baker (Fenwick Brands), Colin Welch, with mic (TSG Consumer) and Alison Minter (North Castle Partners).
2019 Investor panelists included professionals from:
2019 sponsors included:
2018, UnFancy Cocktail Party III
On Sunday evening July 1, 2018 Green Circle hosted our annual cocktail event after the NY Fancy Food Show. Stu Strumwasser, Green Circle’s Founder and Managing Director, moderated a panel of rockstar institutional investors who focus on the natural products space. Carol Ortenberg, the Editor of Project Nosh then moderated a panel on the marketing of natural brands.
2018 Investor Panel, from left to right, Moderator Stu Strumwasser (Green Circle), Larry Kahn (Beechwood Capital), Bill Shen (Encore Consumer Capital), David Baram (VMG), Clayton Christopher (CaVu Ventures, with mic) and Emma Fuerst Frelinghuysen (Cultivate Ventures of Hain Celestial).
2018 Investor panelists included professionals from:
2018 sponsors included:
2017, UnFancy Cocktail Party II
On Monday June 26, 2017 speakers included Eric Skae, CEO of Rao’s Specialty Foods (on the “7 Key Elements of Great Brands”) and Jeremy Halpern, Esq., a partner with Nutter McClennen & Fish (on market terms for investments in emerging natural food and beverage companies).
2017 Investor panelists included professionals from:
If you are a C-level exec of a natural products company and would like to attend the “UnFancy Cocktail Party” event after next year’s NY Fancy Food Show, please contact us today!