Confectionary, Chocolate and Candy Expos

For those whom the love of candy extends from a personal passion to a professional enterprise it is expo season. Over the next few months candy makers, lovers and retailers will host expos all over America. The public and pundits alike will learn about candy and chocolate, discover brands and types they had never heard of and listen to keynote speakers address the latest trends and prospects in the world of candy and chocolate.

The next Chocolate World Expo show is just around the corner and will take place in New Jersey on Sunday, March 6, at the Meadowlands Expo Center in Secaucus, New Jersey. The Expo Center is part of the Harmon Meadow complex that includes seven hotels, major office buildings, movie theaters, and major retail establishments. The show will as always, offer tastings and sales of gourmet chocolates, baked goods, specialty foods, wines and more. The show is a favorite of both industry people and the public.

For candy lovers, PEZ in particular, but there is much more than just PEZ at this convention, there is the 13th Annual Northeast PEZ Collectors Gathering on April 7, 8 and 9, 2011 at the Holiday Inn Stamford Downtown, Connecticut. This show is a must for candy lovers and its fun for everyone. Some of the featured events on this year's agenda include a PEZ scavenger hunt, room hopping as well as the usual raft of workshops and seminars.

The 2011 Sweets and Snacks Expo, sponsored by the National Confectioners Association, is the largest confectionery, cookie and snack show in the Americas. The EXPO features nearly 500 companies showcasing the most confectionery and snack products in one place making it the most valuable, time-effective event in the industry. Exhibitors at the EXPO are manufacturers of chocolate, candy, gum, cookies/biscuits; sweet snacks, nuts and savory (salty) snack goods. You will also find every other confection imaginable represented on the trade show floor, from the classic selections consumers buy year after year, to the hundreds of new products introduced. The show runs from May 24 to 26 at McCormick Place, Chicago.

The Philadelphia National Candy Gift and Gourmet Show is sponsored by the Retail Confectioners Association of Philadelphia (RCAP). The show focuses on the sharing of information and knowledge about candy making and retailing among Philadelphia area confectioners. Over the years, the local focus has expanded and the RCAP currently has over 300 active and associate members throughout the United States and Canada. Today these candy makers and suppliers still share information to maintain very high quality chocolate and hard candy. This show runs from September 11 – 13, 2011 at the Atlantic City Convention Center.

Whether you are in the industry or a product lover, trade shows are interesting and fun and an amazing way to find out about, and sample, new candy and chocolate and trends.