McKee Foods, maker of Little Debbie snacks, and Clif Bar will exhibit at the Sweets & Snacks Expo this year for the first time. The 2017 expo, hosted by the National Confectioners Association (NCA), will be held May 23-25 at Chicago’s McCormick Place.
McKee Foods began during the height of the Great Depression when O.D. McKee began selling snack cakes from the back of his car. In 1960, McKee was trying to come up with a catchy name for the company’s new family-pack cartons of snack cakes and arrived at the name of his 4-year-old granddaughter Debbie. In addition to Little Debbie, McKee Foods’ other well-known brands include Drake’s, Fieldstone Bakery, Heartland Brands and Sunbelt Bakery.
Clif Bar launched in 1992, two years after baker and former mountain guide Gary Erickson got the inspiration for the product after a one-day, 175-mile bicycle ride. An instant hit with cyclists and climbers, distribution began at bike shops, outdoor stores and natural food retailers. Soon popularity grew to include outdoor adventurers of all types, and distribution has since expanded to include grocery stores, convenience stores and other retail outlets nationwide.
“We’re thrilled to have these two companies with such rich histories exhibit at the Sweets & Snacks Expo,” said Larry Wilson, NCA’s VP of industry affairs. “We know brands like Little Debbie and Clif Bar have options when it comes to choosing which shows to exhibit at, and we’re honored that they recognize the value the Sweets & Snacks Expo will offer their established businesses as they look to gain even greater penetration across all core channels in the marketplace.”
