Eye-Openers
State of Snacking
This session provides the Sweets & Snacks Expo’s perennial view of the macro-snacking universe and occasions from a shopper, consumer and retailer perspective. IRI shared insights on what is fueling growth categories, present ideas to turn declining categories around and find additional opportunities as consumers continue to settle into their new patterns of shopping and consumption.
What Is the Third Shelf? Social Commerce for Confectionery & Snack Brands
This session broke down the latest insights on social commerce, the power of TikTok as a social channel and strategies for how candy and snack brands can win on that third shelf.
State of Treating
This session presented the National Confectioners Association’s signature State of Treating research to give a deeper understanding of the how, the what and the why behind candy’s success story. This report combines consumer research with the latest retail data to pinpoint continued pockets of growth for 2022.
State of the Front-End
The front of a store is one of the most important areas for sales, and this critical area is under rapid change and tremendous pressure to better meet shopper demand. This session covered the latest developments on the front-end, from category sales trends to merchandising best practices and what’s in store for the future of the front-end.
Insights Stage
Generational Trends and the 10th Shopping Mission
The pandemic has changed shopper behavior, leaving a lasting impact on shopper missions and forcing a reinvention of the shopping process. Using insights from Nielsen, this session provided a closer look at the need to evolve the assumptions about generational shoppers and how they shop for confectionery and snack products.
The Future of Snacks Is Happening Now
Powered by the data & insights capabilities of PepsiCo’s data platform pepviz, this session will discuss what is driving snacking trends and provide insights into how companies can tap into the snack trends currently shaping the category.
Stuckey’s Case Study: The Art of the Comeback
After decades of being out of family hands, the Stuckey’s brand is making a comeback, thanks to the power of storytelling, social media and a resurgence in the popularity of nostalgic brands. Stephanie Stuckey, Stucky’s CEO and granddaughter of Stuckey’s founder, shared her personal journey, as well as practical tips for companies, especially those on a budget, to increase customer engagement online.
Leveraging Occasions to Turn Trends into Snacking Wins
With the snacking category booming, it is more important now than ever for the industry to understand snacking behaviors and take action to enable future growth. Kellogg’s shared insights and consumer motivators based on a three-year ongoing proprietary study, which provided a well-rounded view of snacking occasions for today’s consumer.
What’s Next in Shopping with Voice AI?
This session explored the potential of voice AI for manufacturers, marketers and retailers and outlined critical steps they can take to set themselves up for success with voice.
Trends vs. Fads: What’s Here to Stay Post-Pandemic?
This session explored some of the trends that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic and provided an overview of what trends are expected to stick around and continue to influence shopper behavior.
Winning the Digital Candy & Snack Shopper
This session explored the new digital consumer journey and how it changes the way brands and retailers will need to spark unplanned purchases to hit the mark with shoppers.
Snack Is the New Black
This session explored new eating and snacking behaviors and the new opportunities that come with them, providing a roadmap to take advantage of how mealtimes have changed.
The Sweet Spot for Millennials and Gen Z
As Millennials and Gen Z enter new life stages, the big question is whether they will mirror behaviors of past generations or bring unique demands that require the confections and snack industries to retool their thinking. This session dives into the categories and motivations that drive consumption for these generations at snacking and treating occasions.
Innovation Stage
Filling Your Post-COVID Innovation Pipeline
This session explored how to keep innovation at the forefront as the confectionery and snack industries move forward with lessons from the past two years.
Snackification: The Future of Occasions in a Post-Pandemic Normal
This presentation explored the evolved future of snacking occasions and the renewal of key traits that may lead to successful innovation.
Candy & Snack Growth Opportunities: The 60,000 Foot View
This session covered some of the large demographic and societal shifts behind pandemic changes and gave candy and snack manufacturers and retailers a roadmap to identify the best growth opportunities.
Power Pitch: Confections
Back by popular demand! Power Pitch kicks off as two confectionery companies from the show’s Startup Street showcased their products in a sales pitch-style presentation to a panel of leading retailers and audience members.
Trends in Better-for-You Confectionery & Snacks
This session looked at the broad spectrum of “better-for-you” confectionery and snacks and the factors consumers consider when evaluating “better-for-you” products, including reduced sugar, low calorie, organic, natural or plant-based attributes.
Taste the Future: Rising Flavor Trends
What is new in the world of candy and snack flavors? This session explored recent flavor trends in the candy and snacks categories.
Cannabis, Snacks & Confectionery: What’s Ahead?
In this session, Tish Pahl provided an update on CBD and THC in FDA-regulated products, including the latest in regulation and enforcement.
Power Pitch: Snacks
Back by popular demand! Power Pitch continued as two snack companies from the show’s Startup Street showcase their products in a sales pitch-style presentation to a panel of leading retailers and audience members.
Destination Front-End
Evolving Shopper Trends for Front-End
This session provided insight into shopper awareness and preferences at the point of transaction and combined IRI survey results and Impulse Marketing’s insights to give an up-to-date look at the checkout shopper.
Best Practices for Checkout Merchandising
This session shared examples of what best-in-class merchandising looks like for large and small format retailers across all pay points and provided practical tips for driving confectionery and snack sales.
The Future of Checkout with Standard AI
More than ever, shoppers are demanding a seamless checkout experience. This session reviewed how retailers are adapting front-of-store transaction spaces, shared what’s in store for the future and offered ideas on how to continue to drive unplanned purchases.
Checkout Update: Trends & Opportunities for 2022
This session shared new insights from Checkout Update 2022, Impulse Marketing’s annual study on checkout category trends, and provided a first look at Impulse Marketing and IRI’s Checkout Scorecard.
Managing Effective Front-End Merchandising Programs with Wakefern
This session shared best practices for creating effective front-end merchandising, discussed how retailers are overcoming current challenges in the space and provided an overview of what key players are planning for the future.
Building a Great Checkout Experience
This session shared examples of what best-in-class merchandising looks like for large and small format retailers across all pay points and provided practical tips for driving confectionery and snack sales.
The Future of Checkout with Mashgin
More than ever, shoppers are demanding a seamless checkout experience. This session reviewed how retailers are adapting front-of-store transaction spaces, shared what’s in store for the future and offered ideas on how to continue to drive unplanned purchases.
