Travel & Food Adventures from a Tall, Hungry, & Wandering Explorer

The highly anticipated Sweets and Snacks Expo returned to Indianapolis, Indiana. The Sweets and Snacks Expo is North America's largest showcase for sweets, snacks, products, and packaging innovations. This unforgettable expo was filled with unique snacks, candy, food companies on the rise, iconic brands, and top industry professionals.

Last week, I attended and covered my first Sweets and Snacks Expo at the Indiana Convention Center.   There were many interesting goodies to sample at the expo, regardless of whether you like traditional snacks, health products (better for you), or you're brave enough to try unusual confections. Many of the exhibitors pushed the boundaries of innovation with unique creations and flavor combinations. The Sweets and Snacks Expo was not only informative for attendees exploring but also very entertaining. The entire expo was jam-packed with thousands of guests enjoying exhibitors products, candy, live demonstrations, games, giveaways and much more.

As a food and travel blogger covering the expo, I was most intrigued about finding unique foods on the show floor. There were a lot of intriguing samples on display. A variety of vendors introduced new mouthwatering candy and snacks that will be trending upwards this year. Chocolate-covered vegetables, boba baked into cookies, coffee-flavored steak, waffle cone tips, peanut butter & jelly jerky, and gummi cones for water ice were just a few of the numerous things I had the opportunity to eat. I found both old favorites and some new interesting snacks.

I was most intrigued by the amount of health products I found while exploring different booths. I didn't typically put healthy sweets and snacks in the same category until I left the Sweets and Snacks Expo. In a society where many people are becoming more health-conscious, it only makes sense to introduce a variety of healthy options for consumers. I sampled a wide range of items, such as protein candy, cereal flavored fiber bars, low-sugar desserts, and resealable salads that had clean ingredients. Although many of these items I tasted had protein and probiotics, I couldn't tell the difference from regular foods.

Before exploring the expo, I always labeled healthy products as having no flavor or a weird aftertaste. To my surprise, most of the healthy candy and snacks I sampled left me very impressed. By engaging with numerous exhibitors, I discovered new favorite snacks and better for you candy while learning more about smart snacking. The expo showcased innovative ingredients and health-focused trends. I enjoyed learning about the benefits of each product through direct interaction with vendors.

There were events set up for attendees to socialize after long days on the show floor. The networking events were a place to connect with industry professionals, exhibitors, and fellow attendees. This happy hour took place in downtown Indianapolis (Bicentennial Unity Plaza) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, which is home to the Indiana Pacers. As a former collegiate athlete, I enjoyed the social activities like playing basketball while getting to chat with different attendees and staff from the expo. Although my basketball days are behind me, I still made a few baskets on the open court. A big surprise was getting to meet James "Big Game James" Worthy, a special guest and former superstar forward for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway is one of the city's most well-known attractions. A great perk of attending the Sweets and Snacks Expo is you're given access to practice sessions at the iconic track. It was fascinating to be so close to the track and experience behind-the-scenes access. This was an awesome event to learn about the Indiana Motor Speedway. Like the basketball happy hour, there were many snacks around the Sweets and Snacks hospitality area. The Indianapolis 500 Fast Track at IMS Track Experience was a fantastic way to wrap up an incredible exhibition.

The Sweets and Snacks Expo was an unbelievable event, bringing together the steadily growing confectionery and snacks industry. I enjoyed covering and sampling many creative products from the world's biggest brands to new small businesses. Also, being able to listen to industry experts provide useful insights and strategies was valuable. The atmosphere was lively all week and filled with many hard working staff members. Overall, the Sweets and Snacks Expo was a huge success and left me looking forward to next year's event. The Sweets and Snacks Expo should be on everyone's bucket list that is in the confectionery industry. Don't forget to take extra luggage for the abundance of delicious samples! *In 2026, the Sweets and Snacks Expo will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center.*

A special thanks to the entire Sweets and Snacks Expo team and Indianapolis for their amazing hospitality. 

TallTravelEats collaborated with the Sweets and Snacks Expo team for this event.