The National Confectioners Association has announced that its Sweets & Snacks Expo will host the trade show for the confectionery and snack industries in a rotation between Indianapolis and Las Vegas over the next 10 years. This announcement comes as the show convenes to celebrate 25 years of candy and snack innovation.
Related: National Confectioners Association Names Senior Vice President of Scientific & Regulatory Affairs
Beginning in 2024, the Sweets & Snacks Expo will cycle through a rotation of two years at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, followed by one year at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas until 2032. In May, McCormick Place in Chicago will host the 2022 and 2023 Sweets and Snacks Expos.
The decision to relocate the Sweets & Snacks Expo to Indianapolis and Las Vegas was made after careful deliberation by the Sweets & Snacks Expo Committee, which is chaired by Ferrero/Fannie May Confections vice president of sales and business development, Ed Seibolt, and the NCA Board of Trustees. In 2021, the show relocated to Indianapolis because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Sweets & Snacks Expo brings together confectionery and snack retailers, manufacturers and suppliers to showcase the latest product innovations. Every year, the show has a significant economic impact on its host city; in 2022, the show is expected to generate $21 million for the City of Chicago.
The full schedule of locations for the Sweets & Snacks Expo over the next decade is as follows. The show will continue to be held in May each year.
- 2022 – McCormick Place in Chicago
- 2023 – McCormick Place in Chicago
- 2024 – Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis
- 2025 – Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis
- 2026 – Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas
- 2027 – Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis
- 2028 – Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis
- 2029 – Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas
- 2030 – Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.
- 2031 – Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.
- 2032 – Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas.
John Downs, NCA president and CEO, said, "Indianapolis and Las Vegas are the right fit to meet the growing demand for our show and enable it to continue providing the innovation, insights and connections that the candy and snacks industries want and need. This decision is all about the show's future, and it was driven by our exhibitor and attendee community, for our exhibitor and attendee community."
Seibolt said, "We saw great success in Indianapolis during the 2021 Sweets & Snacks Expo, with many attendees expressing a desire to return. Similarly, Las Vegas is an international destination with the facilities and attractions to help the Sweets & Snacks Expo continue to scale. I believe all parties will benefit tremendously from everything our new host cities have to offer."
Leonard Hoops, president and CEO of Visit Indy, said, "It has been a great pleasure engaging with the staff, board, and business members of the National Confectioners Association over the past 18 months and hosting the Sweets & Snacks Expo last June. After the success of the 2021 show under particularly challenging conditions, Indy and the NCA were clearly a natural fit for long-term growth. The 2024 show can't come soon enough and we look forward to hosting these amazing people and businesses, small and large, for many years to come."
Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said, "We are honored the National Confectioners Association selected Las Vegas as a host city for the Sweets & Snacks Expo. We look forward to welcoming the world's best candy and snack makers to the destination with an 'Only Vegas' experience."
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