Friday January 4, 2013

Frito-Lay, Unilever Ice Cream Join Expo

Washington, DC — Big-name ice cream and snack products will debut at the 2013 Sweets & Snacks Expo. Unilever Global’s ice cream cups and Frito-Lay Inc.’s Cracker Jack snacks will join more than 550 other candy and snack exhibitors in Chicago, May 21 to 23.

“Candy and snack category sales continue to outpace total store sales,” says Expo Chairman and Mars Chocolate North America Vice-President of Trade Development Tim Quinn. “The Expo was designed to not only provide retailers access to more and new exciting products, but also to offer merchandising solutions and keynote topics designed to turn insights into actions.”

More international exhibitors than ever before will debut products, the NCA says. A new Ecuadorian pavilion has been added and the Brazilian, Chinese, German and Mexican pavilions will return.

Among the slate of top-rated convention speakers are Duke University Head Basketball Coach Mike Krzyzewski, who will talk about his four NCAA championships and Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist George Will is scheduled to examine the political climate and how it affects the industry. Saatchi & Saatchi X Worldwide CEO Dina Howell will discuss branding strategies and director of retail insights for the WPP plc Group's Kantar Retail, Leon Nicholas, will make two presentations on the state of the confectionery and snack industry.