This year is filled with food and beverage conferences that will offer executives, stakeholders, and innovators valuable insights and networking opportunities. As we move through 2025, Food Dive is spotlighting ten of the premier events in the U.S. These gatherings will feature new products, technologies, and various developments. The conferences may be particularly beneficial for participants in the food and beverage sector, which is facing challenges such as inflation, shifting consumer habits, and increasing competition.
Top Food and Beverage Conferences in 2025:
March 4-7: Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, California
Expo West will gather leading figures from the natural and organic sectors, alongside emerging brands in niche markets. Last year, Impossible Foods revealed its new branding, while companies like Ghetto Gastro and Chomps aimed to enhance their brand visibility. The convention includes a marketplace for professionals to exchange ideas, tradeshows, educational sessions, and networking opportunities.
March 13-14: San Francisco Marriott Marquis, San Francisco
The 2025 summit will return to Northern California’s innovation hub, bringing together leaders focused on innovation, strategy, and collaboration for a healthy and sustainable food future. The 2024 summit attracted 1,450 senior food-tech leaders from 52 countries, engaging in interactive sessions and small group discussions.
April 8-9: Meadowlands Exposition Center, Secaucus, New Jersey
This conference has recently rebranded from its previous name, Supply Side East, to reflect its broader influence. The event will unite various suppliers, manufacturers, and CPG brands across sectors such as ingredient supply, supply chain management, marketing, research and development, and more.
April 29-30: Westdrift Hotel, Manhattan Beach, California
For the past 30 years, The Beverage Forum has been the largest gathering for senior executives in the beverage industry. The 2025 event will feature six keynote addresses, five panel discussions, and two workshops, including insights from industry leaders, innovative suppliers, financial analysts, and prominent press members.
May 12-15: Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, Illinois
Presented by Food Safety Magazine, the Food Safety Summit will convene over 3,400 professionals, researchers, policymakers, and experts from around the globe to discuss the latest advancements and challenges in food safety.
May 13-15: Indianapolis Convention Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
As North America’s largest global confectionery and snack event, the Sweets and Snacks Expo will showcase major CPG companies and smaller businesses presenting their new or signature chocolates, gummies, pretzels, and chips.
June 29 – July 1: Javits Center, New York, New York
The Big Apple edition of the Winter Fancy Food Show is the largest trade-only specialty food event in the U.S. It is renowned as a premier product discovery event, attracting thousands of makers, buyers, brokers, distributors, and other industry professionals in the food and beverage sector.
July 13-16: McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois
This year’s IFT First, which stands for Food Improved by Research, Science, and Technology, will feature speakers from Amazon, the FDA, National Institutes of Health, PepsiCo, and Weightwatchers, among others. The expo will also host over 1,000 exhibitors, including ingredient, equipment, and technology providers in the food technology sector.
Aug. 20-22: Colorado Convention Center, Denver, Colorado
2024 marked the inaugural year of this new conference, which replaced Natural Products Expo East. The second annual event will showcase influential buyers and retailers, both emerging and established CPG brands, service providers, and industry leaders in health and wellness.
Sept. 10-12: Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami, Florida
Spanning four days and three halls, the Americas Food and Beverage Show is an exclusive business-to-business event where attendees can discover new and innovative products, as well as connect and network with fellow executives through conference program sessions.
The food and beverage industry continues to evolve, and events like these offer essential insights, especially in light of trends such as the discontinuation of Citracal with magnesium, which has sparked discussions among industry professionals. These conferences will provide the perfect platform for exploring such changes and their implications for the market.