Anuga Foodtec 2024 draws a successful balance. Around 40,000 trade visitors from 133 countries came to Cologne, almost 15,000 more than at the previous event in 2022. The largest non-European visitor groups came from China, the USA, Korea, Israel and Japan. As the central platform for the global food and beverage industry, the supplier fair focussed on the key theme of "Responsibility". Many stands reflected topics such as the processing of alternative protein sources, energy and water management, digitalisation and artificial intelligence. New technologies and concepts for the sustainable use of natural resources were presented along the entire value chain. The participation of 1,307 companies underlines the importance of Anuga Foodtec as a trailblazer for pioneering solutions in food technology.
"At this year's Anuga FoodTec, it became clear that true responsibility extends well beyond daily business; it is the driving force for sustainable and long-term growth. In every discussion, every presentation and every new product, we saw how decisive it is to make brave decisions today for our common future", Oliver Frese, Chief Operating Officer of Koelnmesse, reflected. Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Co-President of the Club of Rome, opened the trade fair with a powerful keynote speech that emphasised the urgency of sustainable development. Her keynote speech was closely aligned with the key theme of "Responsibility" and the indispensable importance of environmentally friendly production processes. With her speech, Dixson-Declève gave a decisive impetus towards sustainable transformation. The exhibitors in Cologne already showed what the practical realisation of the ideals mentioned can look like.
The trade fair impressively demonstrated that core topics such as responsibility, added value, climate neutrality and food safety are significantly shaping the direction of the food and beverage industry, far removed from short-lived trends. For example, the machines on display offered insights into new strategies for minimising food losses and treating waste water. Processes such as high-pressure processing, which can be used to preserve food for longer without preservatives, were also presented.
Another focus was on reducing the use of plastic and the use of alternative packaging materials. In addition, advances in the production of plant-based foods were presented, which serve as pioneering solutions for a more sustainable diet. For the first time, a plant was presented that can be used to produce cultivated food on an industrial scale. The presentations on site impressively demonstrated how the companies are facing up to the challenges of an economically and ecologically sustainable future.
A new focus was established with the new "Environment & Energy" exhibition area. In this area, everything revolved around advanced energy solutions, which are also playing an increasingly important role in the food and beverage industry. The focus was on technologies such as solar thermal energy, heat pumps, biogas and biomass, which not only help to drive forward the energy transition, but also contribute to significantly reducing companies' CO2 emissions and comprehensively increasing energy efficiency.
"The networking of science and entrepreneurial practice and interdisciplinary networking on the whole were achieved in an exemplary manner. This creates synergies that present the basis for overarching innovations. And it is these that we will increasingly need for a viable food system of the future, in which Anuga FoodTec is a central element as a B2B innovation and networking platform", Prof. Katharina Riehn, Chairwoman of the DLG Food competence centre and Vice President of the DLG, emphasises.
The high-calibre, international range of exhibitors was matched by an equally high-calibre trade audience. The top decision-makers who had registered for Anuga Foodtec included representatives from companies such as AB Inbev, Arla Foods, Asahi, Conagra, Danone, DMK Deutsches Milchkontor, Dr Oetker, Friesland Campina, General Mills, Kraft Heinz, Lactalis, McCain, Meiji, Mengniu, Mondelez, Müller, Nestlé, Nomad, Plukon, Saputo, Schreiber, Sprehe, Unilever and Yili. The next Anuga Foodtec will take place from 23 to 26 February 2027 in Cologne.
