A luxurious new venue, education sessions, exhibitors and plenty of networking and social opportunities await attendees at the 2016 Tortilla Industry Association (TIA) Convention & Trade Exposition in Southern California on May 18–19.

The Tortilla Industry Association (TIA) has once again raised the stakes for its strategy of focusing on the fastest-growing geographies in the fastest-growing sector of the baking business—tortillas recorded $12 billion in sales last year and are overtaking white sandwich bread as the nation’s preferred food-delivery platform—by placing its bets on Southern California as the destination for its 2016 Annual Convention & Trade Exposition.

Tortilla Industry Association members will gather in Southern California May 18–19, as TIA moves its Annual Convention & Trade Exposition to Harrah’s Resort Southern California in Valley Center.

Review the information, including new ingredients, equipment, technology and more, from the following companies, which will be exhibiting at the Tortilla Industry Association Convention & Trade Exposition, taking place May 16 to 19 in Southern California

Snack Factory, maker of Pretzel Crisps and a Snyder’s-Lance brand, has reimagined the tortilla with the introduction of Snack Factory Tortilla Chips.

Americans continue to crave Mexican food—so much so that they spend billions of dollars annually at quick-service restaurants like Taco Bell and Chipotle Mexican Grill and on Mexican foods at their local grocery store.

American takeout standbys like pizza and Chinese food should watch their backs, because Mexican cuisine is close behind, says the “Global Palates 2015” report from the National Restaurant Association.

As much as the tortilla category stays the same, it also has been striving to include more clean-label, non-GMO, and organic options. The standard white flour or corn tortilla that you see on grocery shelves will continue to persist, but consumers may see vegetable options like sweet potato tortillas alongside them, too.

According to IBISWorld, tortilla production in the U.S. has grown 3 percent in the past five years thanks to the fact that tortillas, especially ones boosted with ingredients like spinach and whole wheat, are perceived to be healthier than bread during a time when consumers value nutrition.

The past several years have been kind to the tortilla market. Tortillas and tortilla chips are essentials across U.S. retail and foodservice sectors, with steady growth over the past several years.

Five new ingredients accelerate nutritious, sustainable product development.

Ingredients are produced at its plant in Portage la Prairie (MB, Canada) and supported by peas sourced in a network of organic pea growers from Canada.

Ciranda and Terviva, a regenerative food and ag innovation company, have launched sustainable Ponova oil through a new partnership.  

New “Compozym” enzyme series reduces dependence on global wheat markets.

Flavorchem's Breakfast All Day collection was inspired by various trends, including "Nostalgia Reimagined," "Snacking Surge," and "Blurring Category Lines."

Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America on its Savorboost K yeast extract and how it works in snack applications.

Exclusive partnership will scale next generation chickpea proteins for North America.

The company's R&D expert reveals insights on creating and launching successful bakery ingredients.

Global conditions and crises are putting increasing pressure on the world's flour market.

Butter Buds Non-Dairy 32X serves up the same well-rounded butter flavor with medium-strong salted butter middle notes as Butter Buds 32X and is ideal for a variety of foods.

The Quincy, Mass.-based flour and grain-based products provider says it’s acquiring T.J. Harkins Basic Commodity Brokers Inc. and subsidiaries, a supplier of natural, nutritious and flavorful ingredients for grain-based foods. Harkins also supplies sesame and edible seeds, sweet spices, ancient grains, specialty grain flours and grain blends.

Read about the latest ingredients for the baking industry.

Gums and starches, two baking industry staples, are being reformulated to meet growing baker and snack producer demands for ingredients that will enable them to reduce their ingredient costs, produce clean labels and create products that address consumer eating trends.

Ingredient briefs from different suppliers. Check it out!

Bread is often fortified with dietary fiber of various origins to meet “good” and “excellent” source-of-fiber claims. 

Specialty starches producer Penford Corp., Centennial, Colo., announces it will acquire Tucson, Ariz.-based Gum Technology Corp., a provider of hydrocolloid stabilizing systems.

Consumer and industry demands prompt manufacturers to search for gums and starches that do more than just thicken and texturize formulations. Ingredient suppliers are stepping up to the mixing bowl and developing functional ingredients for gluten-free, clean-label, and nonallergenic, GMO-free and low-calorie products.

Penford Corp. completed the acquisition of Gum Technology on March 25. The resulting expanded product line will offer customers more innovative new products and a broad range of applications from which to choose.

Niagara Fiber LLC, a global supplier of insoluble fiber products, acquires Allied Blending and Ingredients Inc., a provider of fiber- and starch-based proprietary products and mixes.

Growing demand for specialty ingredients is driving expansion of the ingredient-solutions provider’s manufacturing capacity.

Gus Griffin is now president and CEO of the Atchison, KS, company. Randy Schrick is promoted to the newly expanded position of vice president of production and engineering, while Sean McHenry is named technical service director for MGP’s ingredient solutions business segment.

The acquisition will expand Ingredion Inc.’s specialty ingredient portfolio.

Key Ingredion ingredient solutions achieve Non-GMO Project Verified status.

MGP Ingredients taps food industry executive Michael Buttshaw to lead its ingredients business.

In response to consumer scrutiny, snack and bakery brands hustle to achieve a “clean label.”

Penford’s expertise in potato starch, nonstarch texturizers and green solutions are expected to expand Ingredion’s capabilities to address consumer trends.

Emplex Non GMO is the newest addition to Corbion Caravan’s emulsifier portfolio.

Penford Corp.'s PenPlus 2140 pre-gelatinized, modified potato starch is recommended for use in tortillas and baked goods.

Cargill offers multiple solutions to assist food manufacturers in replacing all the various egg types.

Penford Food Ingredients' GumPlete GF 101 improves texture in gluten-free baked goods applications, such as bread, cookies, muffins and cakes.

Available from leading ingredient suppliers, egg replacers offer bakers readily available, cost-effective egg alternatives.

Ingredion Inc. has launched NOVATION PRIMA 340 and 350 functional native starches for extended cold shelf life stability with a clean label.

The aftermath of the avian influenza outbreak reveals multiple ingredient options for bakers.

Tate & Lyle PLC, a leading global provider of speciality food ingredients and solutions, has announced the introduction of its tapioca-based CLARIA Bliss starch to the Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) region, responding to growing demand from consumers for cleaner label products.

Tate & Lyle PLC, a leading global provider of food ingredients and solutions, has introduced 17 new non-GMO starches with the same functionality as their traditional counterparts.

In today’s highly competitive snack and bakery market, collaboration between ingredient and equipment supplies and their customers continues to grow more common.

Ingredion Incorporated has announced in the U.S. the introduction of SUSTRA 2434 slowly digestible carbohydrate, a clean label starch-based solution for manufacturers of energy-focused nutritional products including bars, snacks and supplements.

This month marks our first dedicated Report covering the legal cannabis edibles market that has emerged in multiple states across the U.S., and nationwide across Canada.

Joel Clark, founder of Baker Mills and the Kodiak Cakes brand, got his start in the food business when he was just 8 years old, pulling a wagon around his Salt Lake City neighborhood selling whole-grain pancake mix in paper bags door-to-door. His mom ground the wheat. It was his grandfather's recipe.

The snack and bakery industry is filled with wonderful stories. Writing about the origins, growth and scope of the amazing companies that grace our covers is absolutely one of the best aspects of my job.