Every ice cream manufacturer knows that ice cream and confectionery trade fairs are about more than just showcasing products. Above all, they are a place where manufacturers meet, exchange experiences and verify the direction in which the foodservice industry is truly heading. Expo Sweet – the largest trade event for the confectionery, ice cream and coffee sectors in Poland – was an opportunity for the LYKKE brand to meet directly with manufacturers.
These conversations offer the clearest insight into the challenges currently facing the industry and the solutions that genuinely work.
For years, Expo Sweet has served as a place where theory meets practice. This unique event brings together several hundred exhibitors and hundreds of ice cream parlour, café and confectionery owners who are searching for proven suppliers. On the one hand, the fair showcases product and technological innovations; on the other, it provides space for conversations about the everyday challenges of running a foodservice business.
During the EXPO SWEET 2024 and EXPO SWEET 2025 editions, in which we participated as an exhibitor, it was clear that venue owners are increasingly less likely to ask solely about new products or innovations. Far more often, they are looking for solutions.
Solutions that:
Conversations at the LYKKE stand quickly showed that, regardless of the size of the business, many of the challenges are shared.
1. Quality and simple ingredients – no longer a trend, but a standard
Just a few years ago, “natural” was considered an added benefit. Today, for many customers, it is a prerequisite. Venue owners are increasingly asking:
This is a clear signal that quality is no longer a marketing claim, but a genuine sales argument.
2. Product consistency and time efficiency
Another frequently discussed topic was workflow organisation. The foodservice industry now operates at a fast pace, often with high staff turnover.
As a result, owners are looking for solutions that:
Ready-made mixes for ice cream, granita or waffles are no longer perceived as a compromise, but rather as a tool for building a stable and predictable business.
3. Extending the ice cream season – beyond summer
The issue of seasonality came through very clearly. An increasing number of venue owners want to:
Conversations at Expo Sweet showed that soft serve ice cream is increasingly being treated as a base for desserts, rather than solely as a seasonal impulse product.
For the LYKKE brand, taking part in Expo Sweet is about more than simply presenting its offer. Above all, it provides an opportunity to:
Direct contact with the industry makes it possible to view products not only through the lens of their recipe, but above all in terms of their everyday application within a venue.
Trade fairs such as Expo Sweet serve as a kind of checkpoint for the industry. It is a moment when:
The conclusions from this year’s conversations are clear:
quality, simplicity and flexibility are what matter most – enabling businesses to respond to customer needs, regardless of the time of year.
LYKKE’s participation in Expo Sweet once again demonstrated that the ice cream sector is evolving rapidly. Venue owners are increasingly viewing ice cream not merely as a seasonal product, but as part of a broader, year-round dessert offering.
Quality, simple ingredients, consistency and ease of operation are becoming the foundations of modern foodservice — regardless of the scale of the business.
For the LYKKE brand, Expo Sweet is above all a space for industry dialogue and confirmation that a direction based on quality and practical solutions responds to the real needs of the market. It is precisely these conversations that provide the best starting point for further developing the offer and supporting ice cream parlours and cafés in building stable, profitable businesses.
