A critical note before we dive in: The National Candy Wholesalers Association (NCWA) as a standalone entity with its own major “Marketplace” event has largely evolved. The wholesale distribution of candy and convenience products is now predominantly represented by the Convenience Distribution Association (CDA), which hosts the Convenience Distribution Marketplace (which we just covered).
The NCWA was a historical organization that played a significant role in the candy wholesale business. However, over time, the industry consolidated, and the scope of convenience product distribution broadened beyond just candy. The CDA emerged as the leading national trade association for wholesale distributors of convenience products, encompassing candy, snacks, beverages, tobacco, and general merchandise.
Therefore, while the name “National Candy Wholesalers Association (NCWA) Marketplace” might bring to mind a historical event, the most relevant and impactful event for this specific sector today is the Convenience Distribution Marketplace organized by the CDA.
To provide the most accurate and valuable content for your blog, I will reiterate and expand upon the details of the Convenience Distribution Marketplace as it is the direct successor and current equivalent of what a “National Candy Wholesalers Association Marketplace” would represent in the modern industry. This ensures your readers get information on the event that actually exists and is vital for their business.
Your Direct Line to Growth: The Convenience Distribution Marketplace, USA!
In the fast-paced world of convenience, where every square inch of shelf space matters and consumer preferences can pivot on a dime, the role of the distributor is absolutely critical. These unsung heroes of the supply chain ensure that everything from the latest energy drinks and trending snacks to essential tobacco products and innovative foodservice items arrive exactly where they’re needed – in convenience stores, gas stations, and other small-format retail outlets across the nation. But the landscape is constantly shifting: evolving regulations, the rise of new product categories (think cannabis-derived products or gourmet grab-and-go meals), the need for efficient logistics, and intense competition demand that distributors are at the very top of their game. For wholesale distributors of convenience products, and for the manufacturers and suppliers who rely on them to get their goods to market, staying connected to the pulse of the industry is not just beneficial – it’s absolutely essential for sustainable success and future growth. This is precisely why the Convenience Distribution Marketplace, USA, hosted by the Convenience Distribution Association (CDA), stands as the only national conference and trade show exclusively dedicated to the wholesale distributors of convenience products in the United States!
Imagine a dynamic environment where you can engage in direct, high-level conversations with the nation’s leading convenience product manufacturers, discover the next best-selling item for your retail partners, and gain invaluable insights into optimizing your distribution operations. This isn’t just an exhibition; it’s a strategically designed platform for education, unparalleled networking, and direct business development, all tailored specifically for the unique needs of the convenience distribution industry. If you’re looking to enhance your product portfolio, streamline your logistics, navigate regulatory complexities, or simply strengthen the crucial relationships that underpin your business, attending the Convenience Distribution Marketplace offers an unrivaled opportunity to learn, collaborate, and accelerate your business in the competitive convenience sector.
The Heart of Convenience: Venue and Time
The Convenience Distribution Marketplace is a consistent and highly anticipated annual event for the convenience products distribution industry, strategically choosing accessible locations to facilitate attendance from across the nation.
Where Connections Are Made: The Venue The Convenience Distribution Marketplace focuses on providing a focused and productive environment, often choosing hotel-based conference venues that allow for integrated education, networking, and a manageable trade show floor.
For 2026, the Convenience Distribution Marketplace will be held at the Loews Arlington Hotel in Arlington, Texas, USA. Located in the vibrant Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, this modern hotel offers excellent conference facilities, comfortable accommodations, and convenient access for attendees traveling from various parts of the country. Arlington’s central U.S. location further enhances its appeal as a gathering point for a national audience.
The Time to Drive Growth: The Schedule The Convenience Distribution Marketplace is an annual event, consistently held in mid-February. This timing is strategic, occurring early in the year, allowing distributors and their trading partners to discuss plans, place orders, and establish strategies for the coming months.
For 2026, the Convenience Distribution Marketplace is scheduled to take place from February 16-18, 2026.
The event typically spans three days, structured to maximize both educational insights and business opportunities:
- Day 1 (e.g., Monday, February 16, 2026): Often features registration, an opening reception, and potentially some high-level committee meetings or leadership programs. This sets the stage for networking and relationship building.
- Day 2 (e.g., Tuesday, February 17, 2026): This is typically a full day packed with educational sessions, keynote speakers addressing key industry trends and challenges, and the opening of the dedicated Marketplace (trade show) floor. This day is designed for both learning and direct engagement with suppliers.
- Day 3 (e.g., Wednesday, February 18, 2026): Continues with further educational content, potentially a “power hour” for last-minute Marketplace visits, and often concludes by early afternoon, allowing attendees to travel back efficiently.
This concentrated schedule ensures that participants can gain maximum value in a compact timeframe.
The Aisle of Innovation: Key Product and Service Categories
The Convenience Distribution Marketplace is specifically curated to showcase the vast array of products and services that move through the convenience distribution channel. This includes both the tangible products that fill store shelves and the essential services and technologies that enable distributors to operate efficiently and profitably. Key categories typically featured include:
- Candy & Confectionery:
- Chocolate bars/packs (standard and specialty)
- Non-chocolate candies (gummies, hard candies, licorice)
- Gum & Mints
- Novelty candies, seasonal confectionery
- Repacked/peg candy
- Snacks:
- Salty snacks (potato chips, tortilla chips, pretzels, puffed snacks, popcorn, pork rinds)
- Meat snacks (jerky, meat sticks)
- Sweet snacks (cookies, crackers, snack cakes/pastries, granola/fruit snacks)
- Nuts & Seeds
- Alternative snacks (healthy/natural/nutritional, energy bars/snacks)
- Beverages & Dispensed Programs:
- Carbonated beverages, bottled juices, teas, waters
- Sports & Energy beverages
- Coffee & Hot dispensed beverage programs
- Cold dispensed beverage programs
- Frozen dispensed programs
- Beverage enhancers, cups & accessories
- Tobacco & Nicotine Products:
- Cigarettes, cigars
- Electronic cigarettes, vaping products & accessories
- Smokeless tobacco, pipe/cigarette tobacco, papers
- Smoking accessories, lighters
- Tax stamping services & technology
- Foodservice:
- Hot dogs/roller grill products, hamburgers, chicken
- Sandwiches/wraps, pizza, Mexican food, deli products
- Soup and salad programs
- Foodservice containers & packaging, foodservice equipment
- Foodservice products & procurement services
- Fresh foods, frozen treats, groceries
- Health, Beauty Care (HBC) & General Merchandise:
- Cough & cold remedies, stomach remedies, vitamins/supplements
- Personal hygiene, skin care, grooming aids, cosmetics, baby care
- Batteries, automotive products, cleaning supplies
- Electronics, gift items, novelty items, toys, trading cards
- Private label products, sundries, sunglasses, PPE
- Technology & Business Services:
- Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC)
- Barcode data collection, mobile computers
- Business Intelligence & Data analytics
- Business services (consultants, financial services, insurance)
- Category management services
- Computer software (distribution, inventory management, sales, POS)
- Displays, shelving, and merchandising services
- Logistics equipment & software, warehouse equipment
- Online/mobile ordering systems
- Payment services
- Environmental & Recycling services
This comprehensive range ensures that distributors can find everything they need to stock their warehouses and provide their retail customers with a competitive edge.
The Connective Tissue of Commerce: Visitor Count and Demographics
The Convenience Distribution Marketplace is designed for focused interaction, bringing together the most relevant stakeholders in the convenience product distribution ecosystem.
- Visitor Count: While exact annual figures can fluctuate, the event is tailored to facilitate quality interactions. It typically draws a highly concentrated audience of hundreds of key decision-makers from convenience product wholesale distribution companies across the U.S. This is not a mass-market trade show; it is a specialized gathering where every attendee is a potential high-value connection.
- Exhibitors: The Marketplace features a curated number of exhibitors, typically over 100 leading manufacturers and suppliers of convenience products. These exhibitors are looking specifically to engage with wholesale distributors to expand their reach and distribution networks.
- Attendee Demographics: The audience is primarily composed of:
- Wholesale Distributors: Owners, Presidents, CEOs, VPs of Sales, VPs of Purchasing, Category Managers, Warehouse & Operations Managers from convenience product distribution companies. This is the core audience, driving significant purchasing decisions.
- Manufacturers & Suppliers: Sales teams, brand managers, and executives from companies producing candy, snacks, beverages, tobacco, foodservice items, and general merchandise for the convenience channel.
- Allied Service Providers: Companies offering technology solutions (software, hardware), logistics, marketing, financial, and consulting services tailored to the convenience distribution industry.
- Brokers & Sales Agents: Connecting manufacturers with distributors.
This event is particularly strong in facilitating direct, top-to-top engagement between distributors and their key trading partners, making it incredibly efficient for building and strengthening business relationships.
The Route to Success: Benefits and Perks of Attending
Attending the Convenience Distribution Marketplace is a strategic decision that offers unique and highly valuable benefits for anyone operating within or supporting the convenience distribution channel.
- Direct Access to Key Decision-Makers: This is the paramount benefit. Engage in face-to-face meetings with the owners, presidents, and key purchasing decision-makers from convenience distribution companies across the country. It’s an unparalleled opportunity for manufacturers and suppliers to get their products in front of the right people.
- Unrivaled Networking Opportunities: The event is specifically designed to foster strong relationships. Beyond the formal trade show floor, there are numerous receptions, meals, and social events that create an ideal environment for casual yet impactful networking with peers and partners.
- Product Discovery & Portfolio Expansion: For distributors, it’s a prime opportunity to discover hundreds of new and trending convenience products – from the latest snack innovations to emerging beverage categories – that can give their retail customers a competitive edge. For manufacturers, it’s about showcasing new launches to the vital distribution network.
- Targeted Business Development: Unlike larger, more general trade shows, every interaction at the Marketplace is highly relevant. Distributors are there to find products, and manufacturers are there to find distribution. This focus leads to highly productive conversations and direct business opportunities.
- Industry Insights & Education: Access a tailored educational program with keynote speakers and breakout sessions that address the most pressing issues facing convenience distributors: supply chain challenges, labor management, regulatory changes (e.g., tobacco, vaping), category management best practices, technology adoption, and strategies for growth.
- Strengthen Existing Partnerships: Reinforce relationships with current trading partners, discuss future strategies, and collaborate on ways to optimize operations and drive mutual growth.
- Competitive Intelligence: Gain valuable insights into what other distributors and manufacturers are doing, identify market gaps, and learn about the trends that are shaping the future of the convenience channel.
- Operational Efficiency Solutions: Discover new technologies, software, and services designed to streamline warehousing, logistics, inventory management, and route optimization for distribution businesses.
- Advocacy & Industry Alignment: The conference provides a platform to understand the latest legislative and regulatory issues impacting the convenience distribution industry, offering insights into how the CDA is working to advocate on behalf of its members.
- High ROI in a Focused Environment: The specialized nature of the show ensures that your time is spent efficiently, leading to a strong return on your investment in terms of leads, partnerships, and market intelligence.
Your Arlington Base Camp: Nearby Hotels and Convenient Accommodation
For the Convenience Distribution Marketplace at the Loews Arlington Hotel, the most convenient accommodation choice is typically the host hotel itself. Conferences of this nature often utilize the entire hotel’s meeting and guest room capacity to provide a seamless attendee experience.
Staying at the Loews Arlington Hotel offers maximum convenience, as all conference sessions, the Marketplace exhibition, and networking events will be integrated within the resort complex. The Loews Arlington Hotel is a modern, full-service hotel with various amenities, dining options, and comfortable rooms, making it an excellent base for the duration of the conference.
While the Loews Arlington Hotel will be the primary recommendation and likely have official room blocks and special rates through the CDA, Arlington is a major city in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex with numerous other hotel options nearby. These could include:
- Live! by Loews – Arlington, TX: Another upscale option very close to the Loews Arlington Hotel, part of the same entertainment complex.
- Sheraton Arlington Hotel: A well-known brand offering comfortable stays, often a short drive or ride from the convention area.
- Various other chain hotels: Depending on budget and preference, brands like Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, and IHG will have properties throughout Arlington and the surrounding areas, though they may require transportation to the conference venue.
It is always highly recommended to book your hotel accommodation through the official CDA housing links provided for the event. This helps secure discounted rates and ensures you are part of the official conference block, often benefiting from direct shuttle services if provided. Rooms can fill up quickly, so early booking is advised.
The Investment in Your Delivery: Understanding the Cost to Attend
Attending the Convenience Distribution Marketplace is a valuable investment for professionals in the convenience distribution sector, reflecting the niche focus, high-quality content, and direct business opportunities it provides. Registration fees vary based on membership status (CDA members vs. non-members) and the type of attendee.
Based on typical conference pricing for a specialized B2B event like this, and noting that direct pricing for 2026 isn’t yet public, here’s an approximate range for attendee costs:
- CDA Distributor Member Registration: This will be the most favorable rate, often reflecting the value the CDA places on its core members. An early bird rate might be in the range of $700 – $900 USD. Standard registration would be higher.
- CDA Associate (Manufacturer/Supplier) Member Registration: A slightly higher rate than distributors but still discounted compared to non-members. Early bird might be in the range of $1,000 – $1,300 USD.
- Non-Member Registration: The highest rate, reflecting the value of access to this targeted audience and content. This could range from $1,500 – $2,000+ USD for early bird, with standard rates increasing further.
These fees typically cover access to all general sessions, educational breakouts, the Marketplace exhibit hall, and designated networking receptions. Travel, accommodation, and additional dining expenses are separate. The investment is justified by the direct access to decision-makers, the ability to discover new products, and the strategic insights gained, all of which directly contribute to business growth and profitability in the convenience distribution channel.
Drive Forward with Confidence: Your Journey Begins Here!
The Convenience Distribution Marketplace is more than just a conference; it’s the annual command center for the convenience distribution industry. It’s where critical business connections are forged, where the next generation of products is discovered, and where the strategies for navigating a complex market are refined. Whether you are a distributor looking to optimize your operations, a manufacturer seeking to expand your reach, or a service provider with solutions for this dynamic channel, attending this event is a pivotal investment that will strengthen your relationships, deepen your understanding, and propel your business forward. Don’t just distribute; innovate and lead!
To learn more about the Convenience Distribution Marketplace and inquire about registration, visit: cdaweb.net/Events/Marketplace