The Meadowvale team recently returned from an exciting week at the 2026 National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago, where we had the privilege of exhibiting in the Taste of the States Pavilion presented by the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA).
The Taste of the States Pavilion brings together food and agriculture businesses from across the country, highlighting the products, people, and partnerships that make American agriculture so special. NASDA works closely with state departments of agriculture to strengthen U.S. agriculture and allied industries through policy, partnerships, and public outreach. As an employee-owned company proudly based in Illinois, we are grateful for the opportunity to represent both our home state and the dairy industry on such a large stage.
Throughout the show, visitors had the chance to sample four exceptional frozen desserts made by Meadowvale customers from across the United States. Each flavor showcased not only the quality of Meadowvale mixes, but also the creativity and craftsmanship of the businesses that use them.
Guests enjoyed:
- Orange Pineapple Ice Cream from Fundae’s Ice Cream in Indiana, crafted with Meadowvale’s 14% Ice Cream Mix.
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream from Kurschner’s Ice Cream in Chetek, Wisconsin, made with Meadowvale’s 16% Clean Label Ice Cream Mix. This award-winning flavor was recognized at the World Dairy Expo and was a crowd favorite throughout the show.
- Marionberry Cobbler Frozen Dessert from Kate’s Ice Cream in Portland, Oregon, made with Meadowvale’s Coconut Cream Frozen Dessert Mix.
- Cold Brew Frozen Dessert from The Hop Ice Cream in Asheville, North Carolina, made with Meadowvale’s Peafection® Frozen Dessert Mix.
The response to both our dairy and non-dairy offerings was overwhelmingly positive. It was rewarding to see attendees surprised by the quality, flavor, and texture of the frozen desserts being produced with our mixes.
Beyond our own booth, Meadowvale products were featured through several valued industry partnerships. Soft serve mixes from Meadowvale were served in the booths of equipment manufacturers Spaceman, Carpigiani, and Atosa. We are grateful for these partnerships and appreciate the role these companies play in helping frozen dessert businesses serve exceptional products every day.
Meadowvale soft serve mix was also used to debut new shake concepts from one of the world’s largest beverage companies. Seeing our products featured in such a high-profile setting was both humbling and exciting, and we are thankful for every opportunity to showcase what our company can do!
Trade shows are also about discovering new ideas and building new relationships. During the event, we connected with several innovative inclusion and topping manufacturers whose products could help inspire future frozen dessert creations. Below is a list of our favorite finds.
| Supplier | Description | Contact | Phone | |
| Good Girl Chocolate | Scratch made, clean label, chocolate inclusions. | Tabatha Carr | info@goodgirlchocolate.com | |
| Walters Bay | Tea concentrates | Justin Smith | justins@waltersbay.com | 512-306-0935 |
| Cinnamom | Gourment wholesale cinnamon rolls | orders@cinnamombakery.com | 810-866-4342 | |
| Dirty Cookie | Stuffed cookie inclusions and cookie shooters | Shahira Marei | welcome@thedirtycookieoc.com | |
| Pecan Deluxe Candy Company | Broad portfolio of inclusions, candy, nuts and variegates | Kerry Marshall | kerry_marshall@pecandeluxe.com | 770-402-4926 |
| Rhino Foods | Ready to eat cookie dough and bakery inclusions | Renny Manning | rmanning@rhinofoods.com | 802-862-0252 |
| Green Mountain Flavors | All natural colors and flavorings | Stan Sitton | stan@greenmountainflavors.com | 630-554-9530 |
| Papa’s Brittle | Wholesale peanut, pecan and cashew brittle | Doreen Gardner | info@papasbrittle.com | 269-823-3030 |
Most importantly, we are thankful for everyone who stopped by our booth, sampled a frozen dessert, shared a conversation, or learned more about Meadowvale. Events like the National Restaurant Association Show remind us how fortunate we are to work alongside passionate operators, manufacturers, suppliers, and entrepreneurs who continue to push the frozen dessert industry forward.
Thank you to NASDA, the Illinois Department of Agriculture, our customers, our partners, and everyone who helped make this year’s show a memorable success. We look forward to continuing to serve the frozen dessert industry and helping our customers create products that bring people together, one scoop at a time.