Vegas deals a winning hand for 2026’s Sweets & Snacks Expo

Packed full of surprises including an appearance from ‘Elvis’, a confectionery-themed wedding and a host of new products, equipment and ingredients solutions – this year’s Sweets & Snacks Expo had it all.

Las Vegas did not in any way disappoint in providing a true entertainment spectacle for its record attendance of 17,500 visitors, who engaged with more than 1,000 businesses across the full spectrum of the show (see our exclusive video review below, as well as our supplier showcase focus, following on from this), which revealed an event that is very much appreciated by both its US core audience, as well as international visitors and exhibitors.

During four days of activity across the two events, there were no shortages of industry innovation on display.

This was ably demonstrated with its supplier showcase, which has steadily grown in confidence since its re-introduction several years ago, offering a valuable platform for some 200 businesses providing equipment, systems and ingredients offerings for the region. 

Its table-top format continues to suit the occasion well, with major equipment businesses operating in North America, including  GEA, TNA, IMA, Sollich, as well as Capol on the ingredients side among many other SME businesses that demonstrated that the sector is very much thriving across the full value chain of the industry.

That said, from my conversations with many firms exhibiting, it is clear that the economic turbulence being experienced in the US presently is having an impact on company’s ability to take forward capital expenditure projects regarding investment in new machinery, systems and equipment to some degree. Despite that slight air of caution, it encouragingly seemed that many companies were witnessing buoyant order book levels, which was reflected in the strong attendance for the showcase across two days.

As for the main expo days, right from the initial opening of its doors, there was a real buzz across the main hall of the event.  The major players in the market had set their respective booths out in impressive fashion, with strong showings from the likes of Hershey, Mars, Mondelez, Ferrero, Ferrara and Barry Callebaut to name just a few.

All of the above had genuine innovations to talk about, which you can find out more on in our subsequent edition of our magazine, but it’s safe to say that this year stood out for some real progress in terms of product innovation that is the lifeblood of the industry.

What has always stood out at Sweets & Snacks Expo has been its terrific atmosphere, which was very much in abundance this year, as brands brought out the fun factor with their range of mascots, demonstrations, and interactive elements to their booths that demonstrated the fact that concepts of what can actually be achieved within the context of a trade show are being constantly redefined. 

From a personal perspective, it’s extremely clear that having seen B2B events grow over the past two decades of working within a number of industries, the standards being set by the confectionery sector, and for the Sweets & Snacks Expo in particular, just keep on elevating. The Vegas showmanship, theatre and pure entertainment were strongly in evidence for this highly memorable iteration of the show.

• What did you make of this year’s Sweets & Snacks Expo event- let me know your views at [email protected]  you can also keep in touch via our social media and linkedin pages.