Sweets & Snacks Expo opens its doors to record visitor numbers

After a key build-up campaign build-up to this year’s Sweets and Snacks Expo, the show opened its doors in Las Vegas today, posting record registered visitor numbers of some 17,500 industry professionals, writes Neill Barston.

With an immense array of innovation across candy, snacks and chocolate categories, the event’s opening sessions drew a diverse audience from right across the spectrum of the industry.

The event made its location debut at the Las Vegas Convention Centre in confident style, with organisers, the National Confectioners Association showcasing its Sweet Land of Liberty initiative, celebrating a candy industry that stretches back to shortly before the US’s momentous independence from the UK 250 years ago.

 Confectionery Production is on hand this week to play its part in the event, with the first day offering up plenty of key highlights (See our next edition of the magazine for more), with manufacturers placing a strong emphasis on delivery new novelties, nostalgic ranges, as well as blending flavour combinations to push the boundaries of technical and flavour profiles across product categories.

There was a palpable excitement around the main hall of the event, featuring key appearances from major brands including Hershey, Mars, Mondelez, Perfetti Van Melle and Ferrero among many others, which took place amid the final day of the parallel supplier showcase event- that showed core progress in attracting some 200 businesses from across the sectorl.

John Downs, president & CEO of the National Confectioners Association, host organization for Sweets & Snacks Expo, commented: “Sweets & Snacks Expo has built a reputation as the can’t-miss event for the candy and snack industries, and Las Vegas provides an incredible backdrop for the next chapter of the show’s growth,” As we welcome attendees to Las Vegas for the first time, they will experience what we’re best known for: world-class education sessions, unmatched networking opportunities and endless opportunities to discover the latest innovations shaping the candy and snack industries.”

Spanning 275,000 square feet of show floor, the Sweets & Snacks Expo brings manufacturers, retailers, brokers, and suppliers together to showcase the latest confectionery and snack innovations and emerging trends. The show also offers a robust educational program, featuring insights from industry experts and thought leaders on a wide range of topics.

As its organising team noted, the event Sweets & Snacks is also an unmatched opportunity for the industry to foster collaboration and inspire innovation across the confectionery and snack categories — all while enjoying immersive and uniquely Las Vegas experiences.

The 2026 event continues through to Thursday, May 21, offering a major spotlight for companies across the full spectrum of the industry. Full coverage of the event will follow in our subsequent edition of Confectionery Production magazine.