Increased Traffic, Sales Mark First Year of Ohio Proud Showcase

The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) today announced record-breaking customer traffic and product sales at the Ohio Proud Showcase during the Ohio State Fair, held July 29-August 9.

ODA estimates 100,000 fairgoers visited the Ohio Proud Showcase during the 12-day fair, where they could shop Ohio products, attend cooking demonstrations, and experience Ohio food and agriculture firsthand.

The Showcase, located inside the new Ohio Agriculture Center, marked the first time Ohio Proud had a dedicated storefront and demonstration space at the Ohio State Fair.

"These numbers tell us Ohioans want to buy local and support the farmers, producers, and businesses in their own communities," said ODA Director Brian Baldridge. "That's exactly what we want Ohio Proud to do: bring Ohio agricultural businesses and Ohio consumers together. We saw that happen every day at the State Fair, and we're excited to build on that momentum."

Fairgoers attended more than 30 cooking demonstrations featuring chefs, agricultural commodity experts, social media influencers, state legislators, dietitians, and First Lady Fran DeWine. Demonstrations featured everything from omelets and grilled meats to desserts and kids' pizza-making classes, with many using ingredients available for purchase in the Showcase.

Fairgoers could also shop from more than 200 products from 60 Ohio Proud member businesses. Sales jumped from $5,565 in 2025 to $38,995 this year, marking a 600 percent increase driven in part by an expanded product selection and strong consumer demand. In previous years, Ohio Proud products were sold to fairgoers from the North Commercial Building and the original Taste of Ohio Cafe.

Grounds & Grapes

ODA also introduced Grounds & Grapes, which brought together Ohio Proud coffee companies and Ohio Wines to sell their products to fairgoers. Coffee was served each morning, while five specialty Ohio wine-based cocktails curated by the Ohio Grape Industries Committee were available for purchase each evening. The campaign helped drive sales of Ohio Wines, which saw a 69 percent increase in wine flights purchased and a 37 percent increase in bottle sales over the prior year.

Connecting Ohio Businesses with Consumers

The success of the Ohio Proud Showcase demonstrates the role of the program: connecting Ohio-based food and agriculture businesses with new customers.

Ohio Proud connects member businesses with consumers through retail partnerships, special events, product demonstrations and tastings, pop-up shops, digital promotion, and other consumer-facing activities. For businesses, Ohio Proud membership provides added visibility and opportunities to reach new markets, while making it easier for consumers to identify and support Ohio products.

Ohio Proud currently represents 360 member businesses. Products using the Ohio Proud logo must be grown, raised, or processed in Ohio.

Consumers were unable to visit the Ohio State Fair this year can continue supporting Ohio business by looking for the Ohio Proud logo at their favorite grocery retailers and farmers markets.

Ohio businesses interested in becoming Ohio Proud members can learn more at Join Ohio Proud | Ohio Proud.