Anuga FoodTec

🤖 From cobots to Robotics-as-a-Service: automation in food production is changing fast. STÄUBLI demonstrated this at Kaufland Fleischwaren in Heilbronn: a hygiene-compatible six-axis robot loading an automatic slicer. 21 sausage varieties. Four packaging formats. One automated system. "Applications like these show that robotics in the food industry are noticeably increasing in breadth", says Carola K. Herbst, DLG e.V. - German Agricultural Society. KUKA cobots in hygienic design: sensors assess cut quality, two six-axis robots grip, turn and package 50–60 sandwiches per minute. ⚡ AI-based movement planning delivers an estimated 20% performance gain on a four-axle pick-and-place robot, according to Ralf Schubert, Gerhard Schubert GmbH Verpackungsmaschinen. "When AI makes robotics faster, the design of the machinery must progress consistently with this process." "For small and medium-sized food manufacturers, this can significantly simplify entry into automation, because robotics can be used more flexibly and with less investment of capital", says Roland Thiemann, Director of Anuga FoodTec. RaaS models bundle maintenance, updates and service into usage-based contracts. New formats trained via tablet. Anuga FoodTec 2027 — Navigate Complexity. Smart. Safe. Sustainable.

1.3 billion tonnes of food are wasted every year — much of it during processing. Grape pomace. Apple press cake. Okara from tofu production. Spent grain from brewing. These by-product streams are rich in pectin, polyphenols, protein, and dietary fibre — and for too long, they have been treated as disposal problems rather than production inputs. The technology to change that already exists. 🔄 Drying and milling extend shelf life. Fractionation concentrates proteins and fibres. Fermentation and enzymatic processes improve functionality. Membrane technology handles liquid streams. Companies like Herbafood Ingredients are converting apple pomace into functional fruit fibres used in baked goods and meat alternatives. Kern Tec has processed over 2,500 tonnes of stone fruit kernels from the juice industry into ingredients for dairy alternatives. Steinecker, a Krones subsidiary, is extracting protein hydrolysates from spent grain for food and supplement applications — work recognised with the German Sustainability Award. As Ralph Schneid, Head of Product Development at Steinecker, puts it: "We demonstrate how residues like spent grain can first be used as material — for example to obtain protein hydrolysates for food or dietary supplements." At Anuga FoodTec 2027, circular economy moves from sustainability debate to industrial efficiency strategy — with direct impact on costs, product development and market positioning. Anuga FoodTec 2027 — February 23–26 in Cologne. Research contributed by DLG e.V. - German Agricultural Society.

Everyone is talking about AI in the food industry. Very few are actually implementing it. Hendrik Haase and Frank Schroedter surveyed 30 German food companies — primarily managing directors and owners — across 25 questions on how AI is actually being used along the value chain. The findings are specific: in core areas like quality management and R&D, AI remains the exception. Less than 10% of processes across most companies have seen meaningful integration. The barriers are well-documented — missing in-house expertise, tools that don't fit production realities and investment decisions that stall before they start. What the monitor also surfaces: companies that start small, involve teams early and build internal translation capacity tend to move faster than those waiting for the right moment. Hendrik Haase, who co-authored the monitor, moderated sessions at Anuga FoodTec 2024 — known for making technically dense topics accessible without flattening them and for connecting the right people in the room. 📰 Read the full article in the Anuga FoodTec Magazine: bit.ly/4n9Hzbm Research contributed by DLG e.V. - German Agricultural Society

Plant-based proteins and meat don't share the same process requirements. The difference sits in texture, water retention, and thermal behaviour — and it changes how you configure the entire line. 🔄 Extrusion is where this becomes concrete. Twin-screw technology allows precise control over temperature, pressure, and mechanical shear — producing fibrous, meat-like textures from plant-based inputs. What manufacturers like Coperion, Bühler Group, Clextral and ANDRITZ are demonstrating is that adaptable screw configurations and segmented temperature zones can cover multiple raw materials and product modes within a single system. Upstream mixing and downstream shaping decisions directly influence what comes out the other end. The same applies to filling, grinders, and cutter systems — all of which require greater flexibility when processing plant-based masses versus conventional meat. 🏭 Companies like Handtmann Processing, GEA Group, Marel, Maschinenfabrik Seydelmann KG and VEMAG have adapted their systems accordingly — extending what their existing platforms can handle rather than building parallel lines. "The challenge lies in further developing established technologies and at the same time integrating new process approaches with the aim of being able to master the increasing variety of raw materials," says Carola K. Herbst from the German Agricultural Society (DLG e.V. - German Agricultural Society). ⚙️ How well these processes interlock in practice is a central focus of the supporting programme at Anuga FoodTec 2027 — February 23–26, Cologne.

The food and beverage industry doesn't have one challenge. It has all of them. At once. Rising resource costs. Stricter safety regulations. Growing pressure on sustainability. Accelerating digitalization. And a global supply chain that demands resilience at every step. The complexity is real — and Anuga FoodTec 2027 is built around it. 🌐 ONE FOR ALL. ALL IN ONE. The world's leading trade fair for food and beverage technology brings together the full spectrum of F&B production — from Food Processing and Packaging to Automation, Intralogistics, Digitalization and Environment & Energy. Under one roof. In one city. Four days. Every three years, Cologne becomes the address where the international FoodTec network converges: machinery builders, packaging developers, IT and automation providers, F&B manufacturers, researchers and start-ups — all navigating the same complexity, from different angles. 🗓 Save the Date: February 23–26, 2027 — Cologne, Germany. Whether you're shaping the future of food production or looking for the technologies that will define the next decade — Anuga FoodTec 2027 is where that conversation happens. Research contributed by DLG e.V. - German Agricultural Society

Up to 50% less energy consumption — from a drive redesign. The food industry runs on drive technology. Literally. And that's exactly why it accounts for roughly two-thirds of industrial electricity consumption. In food production, that number carries extra weight — because every motor also has to withstand daily wash-down cycles, aggressive cleaning agents, and strict hygiene requirements. Joerg Niermann, Head of Marketing at NORD Drivesystems Pvt. Ltd., makes the case that drive technology is one of the most underestimated levers for energy reduction — and explains why the surface of an aluminium component can be just as decisive as the motor class. ⚙️ IE5+ motors combined with frequency converters allow speed and torque to be matched to actual demand — cutting consumption without sacrificing output. The integrated DuoDrive system, which combines motor and gearbox as a single unit, has demonstrated energy savings of up to 50% compared to conventional IE3 solutions in material handling applications. 🌱 For hygienically demanding environments, NORD's NXD tupH® surface treatment addresses both corrosion resistance and thermal performance — keeping efficiency consistent across the full lifecycle of the drive system. "Energy efficiency must always be viewed as a systemic challenge," says Niermann. "The motor, gearbox, converter and even the surface finish of the components all work together to influence the overall performance of a drive system." Featured in the Anuga FoodTec Expert Talk series on Environment & Energy – by DLG e.V. - German Agricultural Society. 🔗 Full Article: https://bit.ly/4daZBp5

🌏 A successful premiere in India — opening new opportunities for dairy technology from Cologne to key markets worldwide.   With 84 exhibitors from 8 countries and 4,445 trade visitors from 15+ nations, the inaugural Anuga FoodTec India Dairy 2026 in New Delhi has proven that the dairy industry is ready for a dedicated technology platform in one of the world’s most dynamic growth markets. From processing and packaging to automation and cold chain, the show covered the full dairy value chain. Together with the National Dairy Development Board Knowledge Hub and the AFTI Dairy Conference, organized with DLG e.V. - German Agricultural Society as official knowledge partner, it created a powerful combination of business, innovation and knowledge exchange.   A big thank you to everyone who contributed to this strong first edition.   For Anuga FoodTec, this success goes far beyond one event. It enables our customers to benefit from stronger market access, targeted networking and relevant dairy expertise across our international portfolio — from Cologne to key markets worldwide. 📍 See you again at: Anuga FoodTec India, Mumbai, India 29.09.–01.10.2026 Cibus Tec & Labotec, Parma, Italy 27.–30.10.2026 Anuga FoodTec, Cologne, Germany 23.-26.02.2027 Anuga FoodTec India Dairy, New Dehli India 28.-30.04.2027 Andina Pack powered by Anuga FoodTec I Anuga FoodTec Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia 09-12.11.2027 #AnugaFoodTec #AnugaFoodTecIndia #AnugaFoodTecIndiaDairy #CibusTec #Labotec #AndinaPack #AnugaFoodTecColombia

The world's leading trade fair for food and beverage technology returns to Cologne. Anuga FoodTec 2027 brings together the entire global F&B technology ecosystem — from food processing and packaging to automation, intralogistics, digitalization and environmental technology — under one roof at Koelnmesse GmbH, Germany. 📅 February 23–26, 2027 📍 Koelnmesse, Cologne, Germany This is where international manufacturers, technology leaders and industry decision-makers come to find solutions that move production forward. Not concepts. Not theory. Working technology, applied across the full value chain. The 2027 edition introduces two Community Hubs — curated spaces built around the fair's core themes of Smart, Safe, and Sustainable — alongside the Innovation Stage, Speakers Corner, and Guided Tours programme, designed to put industry expertise front and centre. Whether you're sourcing the next generation of process technology, navigating food safety compliance, or building a roadmap toward net-zero production — Anuga FoodTec 2027 is where those decisions get informed. ONE FOR ALL. ALL IN ONE.

Planning your trip to Cologne for Anuga FoodTec 2027? 📅 Mark the dates: February 23–26, 2027. Koelnmesse GmbH, Cologne, Germany. Over 53% of attendees at the last edition traveled internationally. If you're coming from abroad, book early — Cologne fills up fast during major trade fairs. Getting there: Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) is 15 minutes from the fairgrounds. Düsseldorf Airport (DUS) is roughly 45 minutes by train. Both connect to Cologne's central station (Köln Hauptbahnhof), which links to Koelnmesse via subway in under 10 minutes. Accommodation: Koelnmesse Hotel-/Travel-Services is the only official accommodation agency for the fair. You can book up to 5 rooms directly online through their hotel booking system — or request a group offer for 6 rooms or more. The Deutz district sits directly adjacent to the fairgrounds. Book through official channels and avoid third-party resellers. On-site: 4 days. 9 halls. The world's leading supplier fair for food and beverage technology. Structure your visit around the expert program — the Innovation Stage and Speakers Corner run all four days. Official travel and accommodation link in the first comment. 🔗

🔵 SMART From product preparation to packaging — fully automated. Most producers think that's a decade away. Handtmann Processing is showing it in 2027. Harald Suchanka, CEO of Handtmann Processing, doesn't mince words: the future of food processing is integrated line solutions — complete automation from raw material handling through processing, product handling and into packaging. Not as a concept. As a live demonstration. At Anuga FoodTec 2027. For Handtmann, Cologne is a mandatory appointment — because the event mirrors exactly what they stand for: the full breadth of food processing, with innovation and forward-thinking at its core. If you want to see where automation in food production is actually heading this is your moment. Anuga FoodTec 2027 | February 23–26 | Cologne