The 2024 Maine Food Producers Showcase, held on October 24th at Brick South in South Portland, was a huge success, celebrating Maine’s vibrant food industry. With over 500 attendees, this year's event was the largest yet, featuring 55 of Maine’s emerging food and beverage companies. The Showcase brought together grocery buyers, distributors, restaurants, and other key industry professionals to connect with local producers, sample new products, and explore opportunities for collaboration.

A highlight of the day was the announcement of the Maine Golden Fork Award winners, which honored the best in Maine food production across three categories. After a blind tasting by a panel of chefs, retail buyers, and industry experts, Parlor Ice Cream, Fishermen’s Net, and Grandy Organics were named this year’s winners for Retail Best in Show, Foodservice Best in Show, and Best New Product, respectively.

The event showcased Maine’s rich seafood industry, with 21 seafood and aquaculture companies participating, highlighting iconic products like lobster, scallops, oysters, and value-added seaweed. The enthusiasm from buyers and distributors demonstrated the growing demand for premium Maine products in both regional and national markets.

As part of a partnership between the Maine Center for Entrepreneurs (MCE) and FocusMaine, the event continues to support job creation and economic growth in Maine’s food sector.