Fresno County highlighted in Food & Travel special holiday issue, national exposure could boost local economy

Fresno County earned a prominent profile in the 2025 special holiday issue of Food & Travel magazine after publisher Tom Kane visited the region on a two day culinary tour hosted by Visit Fresno County. The writeup emphasizes the flavors, farms and chefs that the magazine framed as central to California's food story, spotlighting local markets, producers and dining events that could attract new visitors and customers.

Kane, a publisher who also has a background as a songwriter, filmmaker and rapper under the stage name Poverty, visited a range of local food destinations during the tour that culminated on November 24, 2025. The story highlights the Vineyard Farmers Market, Westwoods BBQ and Spice Company, Triple Delight Blueberries, Raphio Chocolate, Fresno Underground Suppers and the private Cook It In Clovis Cook Off. Kane sampled dishes from regional chefs including Daniel and Claire Skinner, Chef Robert Ortiz III, Chef Ross Verzosa and Robert W. Snyder III, the former executive sous chef with The Elderberry House in Oakhurst. The visit included a meeting with Ryan Jacobsen, president and CEO of the Fresno County Farm Bureau, who drew attention to family farming and the local blueberry industry.

The placement places Fresno County in front of a substantial audience. Food & Travel reports a print circulation of 31,000 per issue and a total readership of 108,000. Its digital reach is listed at 1.24 million per month, with a social following of 78,000 and 97,000 opted in newsletter subscribers. That scale of exposure can translate into increased restaurant bookings, farmers market traffic and direct sales for producers, particularly specialty growers such as blueberry suppliers who were singled out during the tour.

For the local economy the profile matters because it amplifies Fresno County's existing strengths in agriculture and food tourism. Increased visitation can raise short term revenue for small businesses and farms, while also testing capacity for staffing, supply chains and event coordination. Visit Fresno County's role in organizing the tour demonstrates a coordinated marketing push that local chambers, farm bureaus and business owners can build on to convert attention into sustainable bookings and sales. As holiday season foot traffic rises, businesses and local officials will be watching metrics such as market attendance, reservation trends and farm direct sales to assess the economic impact of this national exposure.