Category: Newsletter

  • July 2, 2025
    Let’s make 2025 your most successful year yet—exhibit with us and be where business gets done.  Exclusive: WTC Miami CEO…

  • June 5, 2025
    Let’s make 2025 your most successful year yet—exhibit with us and be where business gets done.  Spotlight on the Americas…

  • May 9, 2025
    A Taste for More: How Snacks and Confectionary Are Taking the Global Food Spotlight Did you know that 1 in…

  • April 3, 2025
    Seafood Demand is Surging -- Ride the Wave As wave of global seafood consumption continues to grow, the Americas Food & Beverage…

  • March 12, 2025
    A Booming Trend in the U.S. Market: Japanese beverage products are experiencing a surge in popularity in the United States,…

  • February 6, 2025
    Plant-Based Power: The Growing Trend of Food Replacements As we head into a new year, more and more people are…

  • January 14, 2025
    To Drink or Not to Drink? Exploring the Rise of Non-Alcoholic Beverages Every New Year ushers in a wave of…

  • December 6, 2024
    Grocers and Manufacturers Plan Stronger Investments in Private Brands: A new survey by FMI reveals that over 90% of supermarkets…

  • November 5, 2024
    Get Ready for Next Year's Show! Food companies embrace AI, but unable to deliver expert: Food and beverage companies like…

Carlos Bisio, Founder and CEO, Fast Forward Trading

Carlos Bisio es el CEO de FastForward, una agencia global especializada en el cumplimiento de la FDA y la estrategia regulatoria para alimentos, bebidas y suplementos dietéticos. Con experiencia en derecho y educación superior en Harvard y Cambridge, Carlos ha guiado a más de 10,000 empresas internacionales en la expansión al mercado estadounidense. Es un orador frecuente en eventos de comercio internacional y un reconocido defensor de la transparencia regulatoria y el espíritu empresarial latinoamericano.

Facundo Ozan Carranza, Senior Regulatory Advisor, Registrar Corp.

Registrar Corp provee servicios de cumplimiento para los fabricantes, exportadores e importadores en las regulaciones de la Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Facundo se unió a Registrar Corp en el año 2003, y desde entonces ha ayudado a miles de clientes de la industria alimenticia en las regulaciones de la FDA. Las áreas de especialización del Lic. Ozan Carranza incluyen BTA (Ley contra el Bioterrorismo), FSMA (Ley de Modernización de Seguridad Alimentaria), FCE (Food Caín Establecimiento), Revisión y Adecuación de Etiquetas (Label Review), Alertas de Importación (“DWPE”) y la asistencia de detención. Facundo Ozan Carranza posee una Licenciatura en Administración de Empresas de la Universidad de Ciencias Empresariales y Sociales (UCES) de la ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina. También tiene el título de Técnico Superior en Comercio Internacional de la Fundación de Altos Estudios en Ciencias Comerciales (FAECC), el Lic. Ozan Carranza trabajó en la industria alimentaria más de 20 años, con especialización en pescados y marisco, cereales, especias, y también vino.

Gus Calabro, Executive Director, Abasto Magazine

Como Director Ejecutivo de Abasto Media y HMC, una empresa privada líder en publicación y marketing, Gus supervisa todos los aspectos de las operaciones, desde las ventas hasta la editorial. Actualmente lidera un cambio estratégico fundamental destinado a elevar a Abasto de una potencia editorial nacional a una multinacional. Un elemento central de esta transformación es su liderazgo en la integración de la tecnología de IA en las operaciones de la empresa, posicionando a Abasto a la vanguardia de la innovación en la industria editorial. Sus profundos conocimientos sobre la industria de alimentos y bebidas lo convierten en un experto solicitado, particularmente para las empresas de América Latina (LATAM) que buscan ingresar al diverso y competitivo mercado estadounidense. Estas empresas confían en su experiencia para navegar por las complejidades de la entrada al mercado, confiando en su capacidad para guiarlas hacia el establecimiento de una presencia exitosa en los Estados Unidos. Gus Calabro es licenciado en Historia por el Salem College y licenciado en Marketing por la Universidad de Arquitectura de Buenos Aires. Es miembro activo de la Asociación Nacional de Editores Hispanos, la Alianza de Medios de Comunicación y un orador frecuente en eventos en los Estados Unidos, México y Panamá.

Fernando Andreazi, Co-Founder, REBU

As co-founder of REBU, Fernando’s work has been recognized by prestigious industry awards including: Latin America Design Awards, Fast Company Innovative Brands, Brazil Design Awards and Best of Behance. He’s also a TEDx speaker with over 10 years of experience in major consultancies and agencies, such as Interbrand, Landor and Almap.

Fernando has delivered creative work for global and daring brands such as Itaú, Havaianas, Latam, Bacio di Latte among others. In the field of food and beverage, he has positioned and names such start ups as Dengo, Nude, Hubla, Open Co. and and Trela. Fernando holds Bachelorʼs in Commercial Arts from Framingham University and a Master’s in Branding from the School of Visual Arts in New York.

Diana Cobos, CEO, President & Founder , Dcobys

Diana Cobos is a renowned expert in international trade and U.S.–Latin America economic relations, with over 20 years of experience advising governments, trade agencies, universities, and private sector companies on global expansion. She is the CEO, President, and Founder of Dcobys, a consulting firm specialized in the internationalization of public and private institutions across the Americas. She has played a pivotal role in strengthening cross-border trade by designing and executing high-impact export strategies, soft-landing programs, and B2B matchmaking agendas. Her work has directly contributed to the creation of over 100,000 qualified leads, more than 15,000 B2B business meetings, and upwards of $50 million in potential commercial opportunities between Latin America, Central America, Mexico and the United States. Recognized for her strategic vision and results-oriented approach, Diana is a champion of hemispheric cooperation and a key player in advancing global value chains in today’s interconnected economy.

Carlos Bisio, Founder and CEO, Fast Forward Trading

Carlos Bisio is the CEO of FastForward, a global agency specialized in FDA compliance and regulatory strategy for food, beverages, and dietary supplements. With a background in law and further education at Harvard and Cambridge, Carlos has guided over 10,000 international companies in expanding to the U.S. market. He is a frequent speaker at international trade events and a recognized advocate for regulatory transparency and Latin American entrepreneurship.

Facundo Ozan Carranza, Senior Regulatory Advisor, Registrar Corp.

Registrar Corp provee servicios de cumplimiento para los fabricantes, exportadores e importadores en las regulaciones de la Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Facundo se unió a Registrar Corp en el año 2003, y desde entonces ha ayudado a miles de clientes de la industria alimenticia en las regulaciones de la FDA. Las áreas de especialización del Lic. Ozan Carranza incluyen BTA (Ley contra el Bioterrorismo), FSMA (Ley de Modernización de Seguridad Alimentaria), FCE (Food Caín Establecimiento), Revisión y Adecuación de Etiquetas (Label Review), Alertas de Importación (“DWPE”) y la asistencia de detención. Facundo Ozan Carranza posee una Licenciatura en Administración de Empresas de la Universidad de Ciencias Empresariales y Sociales (UCES) de la ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina. También tiene el título de Técnico Superior en Comercio Internacional de la Fundación de Altos Estudios en Ciencias Comerciales (FAECC), el Lic. Ozan Carranza trabajó en la industria alimentaria más de 20 años, con especialización en pescados y marisco, cereales, especias, y también vino.

Gus Calabro, Executive Director, Abasto Magazine

As the Executive Director at Abasto Media and HMC, a leading privately held publishing and marketing company, Gus oversees all aspects of operations, from sales to editorial. He is currently leading a pivotal strategic shift aimed at elevating Abasto from a national to a multinational publishing powerhouse. Central to this transformation is his leadership in integrating AI technology into the company’s operations, positioning Abasto at the forefront of innovation in the publishing industry. His profound insights into the food and beverage industry make him a sought-after expert, particularly for companies from Latin America (LATAM) aiming to enter the diverse and competitive U.S. market. These companies rely on his expertise to navigate the complexities of market entry, confident in his ability to guide them toward establishing a successful presence in the United States. Gus Calabro holds a BA in History from Salem College and a degree in Marketing from the University of Architecture in Buenos Aires. He is an active member of the National Association of Hispanic Publishers, the News Media Alliance, and a frequent speaker at events in the United States, Mexico and Panama.

Alexis Pascual, Commercial Lending Group Head, First American Bank

Alexis Pascual is a seasoned commercial banker with over 27 years of experience in the financial services industry. He currently serves as the Commercial Lending Group Head at First American Bank, where he leads strategic efforts to grow the bank’s commercial portfolio and deepen client relationships. Throughout his career, Alexis has worked across a wide spectrum of institutions—from global banks to regional and community banks—specializing in business development and relationship management. He combines a strong credit foundation with well-honed sales and interpersonal skills, enabling him to deliver tailored, value-driven financial solutions in collaboration with internal partners and product specialists. Known for building trusted advisor relationships, Alexis consistently aligns client needs with strategic banking solutions to support long-term success. Prior to joining First American Bank, he held senior roles at Amerant Bank and at First Horizon as Commercial Relationship Manager, and at BBVA USA as a Corporate Banker. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Universidad Metropolitana in Caracas, Venezuela, and an MBA from the University of Iowa.

Matt Rocco, President, South Florida Manufacturers Association (SFMA)

Mattew Rocco’s experience spans more than 10 years in the corporate arena, higher education, and in the non-profit sector. He served as SFMA President from 2017 to 2021 and has now resumed this role in 2023. He has served in various leadership positions, managed complex projects and programs, worked with employers to create customized workforce programs for their companies, and created partnership opportunities in the business community. Prior to becoming SFMA President, Matthew was a Board of Director for the SFMA while he worked at Broward College. He is a native of South Florida and in his spare time, he enjoys mentoring young individuals to help them succeed in every aspect of their lives. He is an avid University of Miami Hurricanes football fan and serves on the Board of Directors for organizations such as the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, the Pompano Beach Chamber of Commerce, and the Economic Development Council of South Miami Dade.

Andrea Orioli, Territory Sales Manager East Coast

Andrea Orioli is the Territory Sales Manager for South Florida at Coface. Joining Coface in 2015, Andrea began her career with Coface Chile. Over the last few years, Andrea has been managing the team in Florida. Andrea has over 10 years of sales and trade finance experience and a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Andrea has extensive knowledge of the US and Latin American markets, making her an asset in navigating the complexities of international trade.

Zadok Cattle, VP North America Business Information

Zadok Cattle is a leader of North American Business Information Sales and has been with Coface since 2022. As VP Sales for Business Information, Zadok helps companies leverage data to drive smarter sourcing, supply-chain optimization, and growth strategies. With over a decade in banking, a background in economics, and a securities license, Zadok brings a unique blend of financial expertise and market insight to the B2B space.

Marcos Carias, Economist North America Region, Coface North America

Marcos Carias is Coface’s economist for North America. He joined Coface in 2019 as a Country Risk Economist covering Southern Europe, where he specialized in studying the behavior of business insolvencies during the pandemic and the energy crisis. He holds a PhD. in financial macroeconomics from the University of Bordeaux and has taught at the Sorbonne School of Management. 

Jen Diaz, Board Certified International Attorney and President, Diaz Trade Law

Jennifer Diaz is a Chambers ranked, Board Certified international attorney, author, and public speaker and is the founder of Diaz Trade Law, the woman-led, multi-lingual law firm that specializes in import and export transactions, compliance with U.S. federal government agencies laws and regulations, and enforcement mitigation. Diaz is an expert in working with the many Federal agencies that regulate trade, including the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). She is passionate about assisting clients with successfully navigating CBP detentions, seizures, forfeitures, and mitigating of fines and penalties assessed by CBP. Named to the Super Lawyers List as a “Top International Attorney” since 2017, Diaz is a frequent contributor to Bloomberg Law, the American Bar Association (ABA), and The Florida Bar, authoring numerous articles and chapters of leading books on import, export, customs laws and international trade. She is also the editor of the prominent “Customs & International Trade Law” blog, listed as a top web resource under the United States Library of Congress. Diaz received her Juris Doctor from Nova Southeastern University and Bachelors of Science from the University of Miami. She was a cohort participant in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program at Miami-Dade College, an internally-recognized top accelerator to advance small businesses and entrepreneurship globally. 

Deb Stern, Customs and Trade Attorney, Sandler Travis & Rosenberg P.A.

Deborah Stern is a Member in the Import and Export Practice Group of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., resident in the Miami office. She advises domestic and multinational clients on both U.S. and foreign customs compliance and other trade and concentrates her practice in traditional customs areas, such as tariff classification, seizures and penalties, country of origin marking, valuation, trademark infringement, broker compliance, bonded warehouses, government procurement, trade preference programs and free trade agreements, as well as the World Customs Organization’s Harmonized System. Prior to joining STR, Stern spent five years with U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Washington, D.C., where she authored nationally binding interpretive rulings and agency determinations on tariff classification. She previously served in the international law section of the American Bar Association, the international section of the Florida Bar Association, and Customs Lawyers Association. Stern holds a B.A. from Florida State University and a J.D. from FSU’s School of Law, graduating with cum laude distinction for both degrees.

Nidal Barake, Founder and Managing Director, Gluttonomy

Nidal developed a career in management consulting, and became an entrepreneur in the mobile, technology and media industry. He is the co-founder and director of Gluttonomy in Miami, FL. Gluttonomy is a marketing and strategy agency for the food industry, building and implementing conceptual and business strategies for restaurants and brands. Among others, Nidal works with many globally renowned chefs and Fortune 500 companies.Nidal has spent the last thirty years traveling the world visiting from 3-Star Michelin restaurants to traditional markets and street food stalls, and for many years wrote about his culinary adventures for digital and print publications both in Spanish and English, sharing food and travel experiences. He has been a speaker in culinary conferences such as Mesamerica (Mexico) and Dialogos de Cocina (Spain) and a judge in international restaurant awards and lists. His work has been awarded by his Alma Mater, University of Delaware. Today,  Nidal is an investor and incubator in food tech startups, and founded the award-winning Food Marketing event Lengua Conference, and hosts One of Each podcast. He is an Economist and MBA graduate from University of Delaware.

Ricardo Cabrera, President, Craft Dummy Distributors

Prior opening Craft Dummy, Ricardo was the Marketing Director at World of Beer Franchising in Tampa dedicated to the enjoyment of beer and education of the beer enthusiast. He was also the owner at H.E. Buzz Group. Cabrera attended the University of South Florida for a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Communications & Political Science.

Americas Food & Beverage Show – Programa VIP de Compradores Invitados

Se requiere aprobación previa y solicitud

El Programa de Compradores Invitados de la Americas Food & Beverage Show está diseñado para conectar a compradores de alto nivel con los principales proveedores globales de alimentos y bebidas en un entorno altamente curado y eficiente. La participación es únicamente por aprobación, basada en una evaluación rigurosa de las credenciales y el rol profesional de cada solicitante. Las solicitudes incompletas o la falta de documentación requerida resultarán en la descalificación.

¿Quiénes deben postularse?
Aceptamos solicitudes de profesionales establecidos en EE. UU. e internacionales que sean:

  • Importadores y exportadores de alimentos
  • Mayoristas de abarrotes y grandes minoristas de alimentos
  • Distribuidores y minoristas especializados
  • Fabricantes y proveedores/operadores de servicios alimentarios

Los participantes elegibles deben ser ejecutivos de alto nivel o responsables de toma de decisiones directamente involucrados en la compra, abastecimiento, negociaciones u operaciones de importación.

Beneficios del Programa:

Los Compradores Invitados reciben una serie de beneficios exclusivos diseñados para mejorar su experiencia y maximizar sus oportunidades comerciales, entre ellos:

  • Registro gratuito al evento
  • Acceso anticipado al piso de exhibición cada día para oportunidades exclusivas
  • Acceso exclusivo al Salón de Compradores y espacios para reuniones B2B
  • Mostrador de registro exclusivo para agilizar el proceso y asistencia personalizada
  • Servicio gratuito de guardarropa y maletas para su comodidad
  • Invitación a la recepción VIP de networking, con expositores destacados y líderes de la industria
  • Alojamiento cubierto para compradores seleccionados durante las fechas del evento

Con más de 750 expositores de más de 25 países, la Americas Food & Beverage Show es el principal evento comercial enfocado exclusivamente en profesionales de la industria de alimentos y bebidas. El evento atrae a más de 10,000 tomadores de decisiones, incluyendo compradores, importadores, distribuidores y minoristas—convirtiéndolo en una poderosa plataforma para abastecer productos, explorar tendencias y formar alianzas estratégicas.

Postúlese ahora para formar parte de este programa exclusivo y obtenga acceso directo al encuentro más influyente de profesionales de alimentos y bebidas en las Américas.

Postúlese Hoy

Americas Food & Beverage Show – VIP Hosted Buyers Program

Advance Approval and Application Required

The Hosted Buyers Program at the Americas Food & Beverage Show is designed to connect high-level buyers with top global food and beverage suppliers in a highly curated and efficient setting. Participation is by approval only, based on a thorough evaluation of each applicant’s credentials and professional role. Incomplete applications or failure to provide required documentation will result in disqualification.

Who Should Apply:

We welcome applications from established U.S. and international:

  • Food importers and exporters
  • Grocery wholesalers and major food retailers
  • Distributors and specialty retailers
  • Manufacturers and foodservice providers/operators

Eligible participants must be senior-level executives or decision-makers directly involved in purchasing, sourcing, negotiations, or import operations.

Program Benefits:

Hosted Buyers receive a range of exclusive benefits designed to enhance their experience and maximize business opportunities, including:

  • Complimentary Show Registration
  • Early access to the show floor each day for first-look
    opportunities
  • Exclusive access to the Show Buyers Lounge and B2B meeting
    spaces
  • Dedicated check-in counter for expedited registration and
    support
  • Complimentary bag and coat check for convenience
  • Invitation to the VIP networking reception, featuring top-tier
    exhibitors and industry leaders
  • Hotel accommodations covered for select buyers during show
    dates

With over 750 exhibitors from 25+ countries, the Americas Food & Beverage Show is the premier trade event focused exclusively on food and beverage industry professionals. The show attracts more than 10,000 decision-makers, including buyers, importers, distributors, and retailers—making it a powerful platform to source products, explore trends, and form strategic partnerships.

Apply now to be part of this exclusive program and unlock direct access to the most influential gathering of food and beverage professionals in the Americas.

Apply Today!