Texas food, beverage and wellness companies will have a concentrated opportunity to meet retail buyers when Rooted Expo opens Oct. 20-22, 2026, at the Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas. The first-year trade show is designed to connect consumer-packaged-goods founders with retailers, investors and industry service providers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
The event’s reported buyer roster includes H-E-B, Costco, Whole Foods and 7-Eleven, according to Yahoo Finance. H-E-B is also a founding title sponsor. That combination makes the expo relevant not only as a showcase for local products, but as a potential first step for brands trying to move from regional sales into larger retail distribution.
A buyer meeting is not a shelf placement
Retail attendance should not be confused with a commitment to carry any particular product. Whole Foods’ own local and emerging supplier program says qualifying products may be considered for placement in stores in their home metro after meeting the company’s requirements. In other words, an expo introduction can create a path to review, but distribution still depends on each retailer’s standards and decisions.
That distinction matters as H-E-B expands its North Texas presence. The Dallas Morning News reported that the grocer opened three namesake stores in the greater Dallas area in as many months earlier in 2026 and was considering another location in Flower Mound. More stores could increase the number of local selling opportunities available to Texas-made products, but Rooted Expo itself does not establish that any exhibitor will receive shelf space.
What organizers are projecting
Public estimates for the inaugural show’s size vary. Yahoo Finance reported expectations of more than 250 exhibitors and roughly 1,000 or more attendees. Founder Derek Ramos wrote on LinkedIn that organizers were expecting more than 300 exhibitors and 1,500 attendees. Those figures are projections, not a final attendance or exhibitor count…