Next year’s Sweets and Snacks Expo will feature a second exhibit halls.

The National Confectioners Association is expanding the show to include the Skylink Hall, which will have space for more than 130 new companies. The hall is located across the concourse on the same level as the current West hall at McCormick Place in Chicago.

The new hall will feature more companies, as well as the latest emerging industry trends, including the expanded “Innovation Avenue.”

In addition to containing a second knowledge center specializing in tracks on snacking, specialty trends as well as the newest consumer and shopping trends, the Most Innovative New Products Awards showcase and ceremony will be also located in the new hall.

Visitors will be able to experience the awards showcase highlighting the top 45 new items deemed to have potential to become best sellers by the Expo's hand-selected Taste Panel, and then vote electronically via the event app on their favorite.

“The Sweets & Snacks Expo has become the industry's proven destination where attendees gain the best access to the companies, products, people and insights they need to grow their business,” says Barry Rosenbaum, Expo chairman and president of Nassau Candy Distributors, Inc. “Managing the growth of the Expo over the past several years has allowed us to deliberately and carefully plan for additional exhibit space, new educational offerings and more networking opportunities.”

The 2015 Sweets & Snacks Expo welcomed 16,000 industry professionals from nearly 90 countries showcasing 630 companies. In 2016, more than 750 exhibitors are expected to participate.  

"The Expo’s evolution into the largest candy and snack global event allows us to offer even more reasons for attendees to return each year. We hold an unprecedented 98 percent loyalty rating in terms of the Expo's business value to attendees," says Larry Wilson, v.p. industry affairs, with the National Confectioners Association.

The Expo attracts thousands of pre-qualified candy and snack retail and wholesale customers representing nearly every distribution channel from the largest global retail chains down to small, independently-owned candy shops. It is the premiere, world-class event in the candy and snack industry.

Registration for the show opens in December.

Read More: Is the NCA’s extra Expo hall a good idea?