FOOD INDUSTRY SWEETS & SNACKS EXPO 2025 FINISHED STRONG AT INDIANAPOLIS By Violeta Montes de Oca T he Sweets & Snacks Expo 2025 wrapped up in Indianapolis, leaving an exceptional legacy of success for the confectionery and snacks industries. As atten- dees from across the globe converged on the Indiana Convention Center, the expo solidified its reputation as the premier event of its kind. Building on its previous achievements, the Sweets & Snacks Expo transformed Indianapolis, utilizing over 250,000 square feet of show floor within the Indiana Convention Center. From May 13 to 15, all 11 exhibition halls and three ballrooms were bustling, generating an estimated $13 million in economic impact for the City, said Chris Gahl, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Visit Indy. The enduring partnership with the National Confectioners Association, the host organization, remains central to the event’s focus. Visitors to Indianapolis noted the city’s ongoing revitalization, with $3 billion in new tourism-related cons- truction underway, including the Signia by Hilton and the Convention Center expansion. These projects, set to finish by the end of 2026, will provide even more room for the Sweets & Snacks Expo to expand when it returns to Indy in 2027. 36 JULY / AUGUST 2025 ABASTO.COM