As leaders in the global live media and events industry, we spend a lot of time thinking about how people connect — not just inside a ballroom or on an expo floor, but across an entire ecosystem. For us, events aren’t standalone moments. They’re part of a larger conversation. And when done thoughtfully, they can move industries forward in very real ways.
That’s what led us to bring SommCon Conference & Beverage Expo and San Diego Food + Wine Festival together into one immersive week in San Diego — a deliberate co-location designed around the full B2B2C spectrum of food, drink, and hospitality.
While Fast Forward Events has produced both experiences for years, this moment represents a more intentional alignment of trade and consumer ecosystems. What’s new isn’t proximity — it’s purpose. This co-location is designed to reflect how the industry actually operates today, with business decisions, education, and consumer engagement informing one another in real time.
From Trade to Consumer — and Back Again
In our industry, conversations often happen in silos. Trade events focus on education, buying, and professional development. Consumer festivals focus on experience, discovery, and storytelling. Both are essential — but they’re even more powerful when they exist in dialogue with one another.
By co-locating SommCon and San Diego Food + Wine Festival, we’re creating a week where those worlds overlap naturally.
Producers, distributors, buyers, sommeliers, and brand leaders spend their days diving deep into strategy, education, and business at SommCon. Then, those same professionals can step into a vibrant consumer-facing environment where brands come to life through food, culture, and community — without diluting the focus, outcomes, or integrity of either experience. It’s not about blurring the lines — it’s about building bridges.
What B2B2C Looks Like in Practice
We think of this week as a living case study in B2B2C.
- For brands, it’s an opportunity to engage decision-makers and consumers in the same market, in the same week, with complementary goals.
- For buyers and trade professionals, it’s a rare chance to see how products resonate with consumers — in real time.
- For consumers, it means access to thoughtfully curated experiences shaped by the same industry leaders who influence what ends up on shelves and wine lists nationwide.
This is where education informs experience, and experience reinforces strategy.
Why Co-Location Works — When It’s Done Right
Co-location isn’t about convenience. It’s about intention.
When events are aligned by audience, values, and purpose, co-location becomes an operating advantage. It creates continuity between how professionals learn, make decisions, and show up in the market — without asking any one audience to do more or shift focus.
At Fast Forward, this is achieved through intentional design: protected trade education at SommCon, standalone consumer experiences at San Diego Food + Wine Festival, and optional crossover moments built through scheduling and access. The result is a week that works harder for brands and buyers — without diluting impact for either audience.
A Week That Reflects the Industry We Serve
The food, beverage, and hospitality industries don’t operate in isolation — and neither should the events that support them. This co-located week reflects how business actually happens: through layered conversations, shared experiences, and relationships that extend beyond a single badge or ticket.
As we look ahead, this model represents where we believe the industry is going — toward smarter, more connected experiences that serve professionals and consumers alike.
Because when we create space for those worlds to meet, everyone moves forward together.