Record-breaking Sweets & Snacks Expo draws to a close in Chicago

A record-breaking show for Sweets & Snacks Expo has been hailed by its organisers, the National Confectioners Association, as the event gave a celebratory farewell to host city Chicago this week, reports Neill Barston.

Confectionery Production was on hand at McCormick Place, to witness the industry extravaganza’s 26th edition which concluded on Thursday, as plans for its next two-location rotation beginning in 2024 with Indianapolis were unveiled under a brand banner of ‘big and bold.’ (see our exclusive event video report here).

This year’s show in Chicago went out in style, attracting 18,000 visitors across four days, including its supplier showcase element that opened up the week’s proceedings through offering a dynamic window on well over 100 businesses across the equipment, systems and ingredients segments (see separate report shortly).

As reported this week, the show witnessed a wealth of new product launches from major brands including Hershey, Ferrero, Ferrera, Mars, Perfetti Van Melle, Mondelez International and Barry Callebaut, alongside significant new product activity from start-up and emerging businesses.

The dates for the 2024 edition have been revealed as 13-16 May, as the event looks to make its mark in a revised setting, returning to the venue it was held in during the pandemic in 2021, when restrictions meant the event had been limited to domestic US attendees.

For his part, John Downs, president and CEO of the National Confectioners Association, (pictured left, below, alongside Leonard Hoops, president and CEO of Visit Indy), believed the show had provided a defining success for the industry in the US, and welcomed the next chapter in its evolution. It is set to return to Indianapolis next year, from which it will then alternate with Las Vegas as a host city.

“As we look to the future of this important brand we have built through the Sweets & Snacks Expo, we continue to evolve to meet the needs of our growing exhibitor and attendee community.

“Our new brand is inspired by the unique experiences associated with candy and snacks – the thrill of discovering innovative new products, the sweetness of sharing a decadent piece of chocolate with a loved one, and the always satisfying crunch of a tasty potato chip.”

Echoing his views, Carly Schildhaus, senior public affairs manager for the NCA, spoke to Confectionery Production and reflected on the event’s heritage within its Illinois base.

She said: “This show was absolutely incredible. We are in the candy and snacks universe here, and for our last time in Chicago, we went out big and have surpassed 18,000 registrants, and we have had more than 800 exhibitors, making it a record-breaking show.

“We have been in Chicago for the past 26 years, and it’s considered the candy capital of the world, so those roots go really deep with a lot of brands and companies got their break here, and continue to exist here. Importantly, this is where we grew our show. We started out in 1997 as the All Candy Expo at Navy Pier, and you can see here that we’re covering so much space at McCormick Place, covering both the confectionery and snack categories.

“So, we’re lucky to have grown so immensely here, we’re excited about the future, but we are saying a very bittersweet farewell to Chicago this year.”

– See the next edition of Confectionery Production for our full extended coverage, and also further features both online and in print, offering further exclusive coverage of the event’s final outing in Chicago.

 

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