64 • July | August 2026 • abasto.com SWEETS & SNACKS EXPO 2026 LAS VEGAS SWEETENED THE CONFECTIONERY INDUSTRY BY HERNANDO RAMÍREZ-SANTOS T he Sweets & Snacks Expo 2026 made history in Las Vegas, drawing 17,500 attendees and more than 1,000 exhibitors from 90 countries. The National Confectioners Association (NCA) hosted the industry’s premier event across 275,000 square feet of show floor. Bold fla- vors, breakthrough products, and high-va- lue networking defined every session. A Historic First for the Show The Sweets & Snacks Expo took Las Vegas by storm for the very first time. During a conversation with Abasto and another media outlets, Christopher Gindlesperger, Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Communications for the NCA, called the move “groundbreaking.” The show had spent nearly 30 years building its community in Chicago before relocating to Indianapolis. Now, Las Vegas signals an ambitious new chapter. NCA President and CEO John Downs doubled down on the significance of the shift. He said the move created a unique opportunity to showcase bold innovation and momentum driving the confectionery and snack industries. Las Vegas, he noted, matched the energy, color, and ambition the show deserved. EN LOS PASILLOS DE LA EXPO 1. El equipo de Winnuts. 2. Christian Angulo, Zumba Pica. 3. Karina González y Esteban Cuéllar de Manzela. 4. Nelson Pinzón, Mexilink. 5. Armando Peña, Safari Group. 6. Gastón González, Canel’s USA. 7. Elvis Presley, amenizando el piso del evento. 8. Oswaldo Castellanos, Baruc Navarro, HCNA. 9. Mike Gilroy, Mars. 2 3 5 7 4 6 8 9 1 • TRADE SHOWS • Continues on page 66