Expo Eats

(From left) Richmond-area entrepreneurs Keya Wingfield of Keya & Co., Jay McGee and Kellie Hughes Jordan of Owl Spoon Water Kefir Co., and Brett Nobile of Ninja Kombucha received awards at the 2024 Virginia Food & Beverage Expo.

Craig County’s Smoke in Chimneys sampled its smoked trout during the expo. The hatchery in New Castle relies on fresh spring water to farm trout and has been working to revive the state fish, while wowing top chefs along the way. They currently sell trout boxes to the public that feature fresh frozen trout, smoked trout and trout cakes. In the coming months they hope to introduce tinned trout. 

Steamboat Wharf Oysters out of Morattico is helmed by partners Callie Robinson and Tom Hyde. In the spring of 2020, the duo of UVA grads traded their day jobs for muddy waders and relocated to the Northern Neck. Find their oysters on menus around Richmond including Metzger Bar & Butchery and Birdie’s. 

Part of the Hatch Kitchen accelerator program, Nile Kitchen showcased its newly launched line of frozen foods. The business was founded by Yeshareg “Yeshi” Teklemariam and her sons Yoseph and Benyam, who operated Nile Ethiopian restaurant in Church Hill before it shuttered in January. 

Flavored seltzers and other fun beverages have been having a moment, but Hike does things a bit differently. Hike owner Ryan Coleman started brewing seltzer with hops last year after he quit drinking, aiming to add a punch to plain seltzer. 

Owners of Richmond-based Chaotic Good Tempeh Keith Gurgick and Rachel Miller. In business since 2019, they now sell resealable bags of flavored frozen tempeh, a plant-based fermented protein, in varieties ranging from Buffalo to brisket. The business won Best New Product at the 2022 Virginia Food & Beverage Expo.

“Water Kefir is new to nearly everyone — hence our tagline, ‘Nope, it’s not kombucha,”  Owl Spoon Water Kefir Co. co-owner Kellie Hughes says. “There is the assumption that if we’re a probiotic drink that we’re booch, and it’s wonderful to join in on the heels of another functional beverage that has prepped the market so well. At the expo, attendees were shocked to try our product; so many enthusiastic comments ranging from, ‘Wow, that’s not bad,’ all the way to, 'Oh, my gosh, I’m placing an order now for my entire fleet of 10 stores.’”

Keya & Co.’s Bombay and Black Salt Chips took home the Best New Food Product award at the expo. Snag a bag at spots including Ellwood Thompson’s and Barrel Thief.

Noosh is the latest product from the student entrepreneurs enrolled in the University of Richmond’s Bench Top Innovations program. It’s a more spreadable cousin of the eggplant-based dip baba ghanouj, and it packs a hint of spice. Bonus: It’s super low in calories with familiar, natural ingredients.

Based in Manassas, Yummy Butter owners Michael and Bianca Clarkson met when both worked at UPS. While experimenting at home, Michael decided to make his own butter, and the business spiraled from there. Flavors include Everything Nice, C-Thyme, Zesty Herb and their signature Classic Garlic variety. 

Udderless pizza is a line of frozen vegan pies from Evan Byrne, owner of The Hop Craft Pizza & Beer in the Fan. 

Hatch presented an incubator section at the expo to showcase the various food business that utilize its commissary kitchen. 

Part of the Hatch accelerator program, frozen pierogi purveyor Ryba’s sampled its Polish bites inspired by family recipes.

Part of the Hatch incubator program, Human Kind Foods makes seed-based bites in flavors including cinnamon-vanilla and cranberry-tangerine, in addition to seed blends such as ginger-cardamom that can be sprinkled on foods or blended into smoothies. All of the products are vegan and gluten-, nut- and soy-free. 

Clark & Hopkins specializes in hot sauces that speak to the spices, flavors and culture of a region. The latest is their District Sauce made with ginger, berbere and honey.

Richmond-based Fore Cocktails was a beverage business brainstormed on the golf course that is gaining momentum on and off the greens. The canned drinks include the classic golf cocktail Transfusion along with Ranch Water, Bloody Mary and Southside with vodka, mint, lime and soda. 

Based in Charlottesville, Nona’s makes small-batch tomato sauce, available locally at Ashland Meat Co. at Cross Brothers and the West End Farmers Market. 

In sweet and savory options, EZ Bites are intended to provide nutritional, bite-sized entrees to assist individuals with cognitive and or physical limitations. Founder Martha Famble (pictured above at right) devised the idea for the business after watching her mother have difficulty using utensils. 

Wild Earth Fermentation showed off its new branding at the expo.

Based in Warfield, Browntown Farms is a Black-owned, 104-acre multigenerational farm that's been around since 1908. Father-and-son owners Herbert Brown Jr. and Herbert Brown Sr. began to dabble in jam production in 2017. Their lemonade-spiked selections have become summer favorites. 

Launched last year, Richmond-based Mar Mar crafts the flavorful condiment chili garlic crunch.

Back Pocket Provisions offers a bloody mary mix that comes in flavors from Blue Ridge to Baja. They source tomatoes that are otherwise unfit for market from farmers across the state, rescuing about 50,000 pounds of fruit annually.