Washington, D.C. – The 2018 Sweets & Snacks Expo (May 22-24), held at Chicago’s McCormick Place, is pleased to announce a host of new and enhanced elements designed to maximize the show experience for candy and snack professional attendees.
“The Sweets & Snacks Expo is committed to curating the newest and most innovative products and retail solutions for attendees, enabling them to anticipate what shoppers want with confidence,” comments Barry Rosenbaum, Expo chairman and president of Nassau Candy Distributors, Inc. “From exploring new and innovative products to customized learning, the Expo is crucial to any successful candy, snack or specialty professional.”
New and enhanced features for the 2018 Sweets & Snacks Expo include:
- 150+ first time exhibitors
- New Product Showcase – featuring more than 350 of the hottest new candy, snack, flavor, product, and packaging innovations.
- Most Innovative New Product Awards, brought to you by IRI – showcasing more than 300 submissions of the most innovative ideas, concepts, and products in candy and snacks; awarding the best among nine different categories along with best-in-show and the small business innovator awards. All submissions will be taste-tested and evaluated by a panel of more than 20 leading retailers representing more than $15 billion in category buying power.
- Enhanced Destination Retail experience, presented by WestRock – highlighting the latest technology and merchandising solutions driving shopper engagement, including hourly demonstrations.
- A full curriculum of 24 cutting-edge learning opportunities ranging from pre-show “Eye Opener” sessions to Discovery Theater sessions on the show floor sponsored by Barry Callebaut. Topics to be explored include consumer behavior, flavor trends, omnichannel, digital, and multi-cultural marketing from a wide range of subject matter experts including Pinterest, Progressive Grocer, IRI and Nielsen along with panelists from some of the nation’s leading retailers.
- Newcomers will be welcomed to a morning meet-and-greet session where they’ll learn how to get the most from their experience while connecting to the vast community of confectionery and snack manufacturers, retailers, and distributor attendees.
In response to emerging consumer trends, the Sweets & Snacks Expo has expandedwith a wider variety and more balanced offering of treating and snacking products for attendees as more than 800 candy and snack exhibitors will be in Chicago to showcase their latest innovations. To learn more and register for the Sweets & Snacks Expo, visitsweetsandsnacks.com.
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About the National Confectioners Association (NCA)
The National Confectioners Association is the trade organization that advances, protects and promotes chocolate, candy, gum and mints, and the companies that make these special treats. As the leading association for the $35 billion U.S. confectionery industry, NCA educates the public to help ensure that it understands and appreciates the unique role that chocolate and candy can play in a happy, balanced lifestyle. Confections are produced in all 50 states, creating jobs for approximately 55,000 workers in more than 1,000 manufacturing facilities across the country. More than 400,000 jobs in agriculture, retail, transportation and other industries rely in part on the sale of confections for their livelihood. For every one job that is created by confectionery companies, another seven are supported in related industries. Learn more about the “Power of Sweet” atCandyUSA.com, or follow NCA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About the Sweets & Snacks Expo
Sponsored by the National Confectioners Association, the Sweets & Snacks Expo is the confectionery and snack industry’s most successful, world-class event. It is unrivaled in new product launches, business building solutions and innovations in merchandising. Qualified candy and snack professionals attend with global presence from 90 countries. More than 800 companies displaying more than 4 acres of candy and snack products participate in the Expo. The event is held each May at Chicago’s McCormick Place.
Source: National Confectioners Association (NCA)
