Keynote
Tuesday, June 22, 5:00 – 5:30 P.M.
Wabash Ballroom (see map)
Creating Big Little Breakthroughs with Entrepreneur Josh Linkner
Tech entrepreneur and New York Times bestselling author Josh Linkner shares his secrets to creative problem-solving and unlocking your teams’ potential for innovation. The subject of his bestselling book Big Little Breakthroughs, Josh’s technique builds a daily habit of creativity to generate micro-innovations that drive larger projects and more creative results. Attendees will leave with actionable tools to drive innovation within their teams and companies and make real steps toward their innovation goals.
Awards Ceremony
Tuesday, June 22, 5:30 – 6:30 P.M.
Wabash Ballroom (see map)
This annual awards ceremony recognizes the winners of the Most Innovative New Product Awards, as well as the recipients of this year’s Ruby Award for Supplier Innovation, the Golden and Silver Candy Dish Awards and the Confectionery Leadership Awards. After the awards ceremony concludes, the winners of the Most Innovative New Product Awards will be displayed.
Most Innovative New Product Awards & Ruby Award for Supplier Innovation
The Most Innovative New Product Awards recognize 55 new products in 11 categories spanning the confectionery and snack industries. The winners are selected from more than 300 submitted products by retail and category thought leaders representing 85% of the confectionery and snack categories’ buying power. This year’s application cycle welcomed product innovation from 2019 and 2020. Learn more about the MINPA process.
Interested in submitting your product for a Most Innovative New Product Award? Learn more.
The Ruby Award for Supplier Innovation is given annually to recognize a breakthrough innovation from the National Confectioner Association’s supplier member community that advances the confectionery industry and significantly improves the ability of confectioners to manufacture, distribute, market and/or sell chocolate and candy. A panel of NCA manufacturing member companies reviews the applications and selects the award recipient each year. This year’s application cycle welcomed innovations from 2019 and 2020. View past recipients of the Ruby Award for Supplier Innovation.
SPONSORED BY:
The panel of MINPA judges nominates five items in each of the 12 segments:
- Chocolate
- Non-Chocolate
- Gourmet/Premium – Candy
- Gum & Mints
- Novelty/Licensed – Candy & Snacks
- Seasonal – Candy & Snacks
- Salty Snacks
- Sweet Snacks
- Meat Snacks
- Savory Snacks
- Gourmet/Premium – Snacks
- Small Business Innovator
Golden Candy Dish Award
Founded in 1961, the Golden Candy Dish Award is presented annually to a confectionery broker who has performed above the normal call of business to promote the confectionery industry. This year’s application cycle considered broker achievements from 2019 and 2020. View past recipients of the Golden Candy Dish Award.
Silver Candy Dish Award
Founded in 1989, the Silver Candy Dish Award is presented annually to a manager in the sales, marketing, or general management position of a confectionery manufacturer or marketer who has made significant contributions to selling candy. This year’s application cycle considered achievements from 2019 and 2020. View past recipients of the Silver Candy Dish Award.
Confectionery Leadership Awards
The Confectionery Leadership Awards honor top retail or wholesale buyers, category managers and executives on an industry-wide level for their effective business collaboration, category management and innovations in merchandising confectionery products. The National Confectioners Association, in collaboration with Candy & Snack TODAY, created the award in 2011 to recognize and honor the confectionery industry’s best and most innovative category champions and leaders. Award recipients will participate in the judging panel at next year’s Most Innovative New Product Awards. View past recipients of the Confectionery Leadership Awards.
The NCA Woman of Influence Award
Created in 2021, the National Confectioners Association’s Woman of Influence Award is given to a woman in the confectionery industry who has performed above and beyond the call of duty in service of the industry. The recipient of this award is selected by the National Confectioners Association’s Women’s Leadership Group, and the inaugural award will be presented at the Sweets & Snack Expo.
