Future Technologies in the Spotlight

Prof Katharina Riehn: Trade fairs are much more than just industry gatherings – they are key innovation platforms where technological progress is presented in a compact, impressive and practical manner. The International FoodTec Award is specifically tai-lored to the key topics of Anuga FoodTec, the leading international trade fair for food and beverage technology (23 – 26 February 2027). Its goal is to make technical innovations and developments visible and understandable. The communication associated with this not only creates transparency within the industry and promotes targeted networking and new business contacts, it also acts as an important voice in society. This allows the industry to demonstrate its innovative strength as a whole and show how it is ac-tively contributing to overcoming current challenges relating to sustainability and food security with advanced technologies and solutions.

The agricultural and food industry faces major challenges: The vision of the European Green Deal is faltering in the face of geopolitical crises and economic turmoil. At the same time, it is becoming clear how essential yield improvements and stable value chains and supply chains are for our society. The pressure to act due to climate change and biodiversity loss remains high. More than ever, a progressive attitude and open dis-course are needed to enable innovations for sustainable productivity growth. The Inter-national FoodTec Award makes an important contribution to this by promoting profes-sional exchange and highlighting technological progress – for both B2B and B2C.

Global trends are driving innovation in food and beverage technology – with increasing complexity and growing demands on the industry. The International FoodTec Award picks up on this dynamic and, like Anuga FoodTec, covers a broad range of topics. As the only trade fair worldwide that brings together all technological aspects of food and beverage production, it offers a platform for exchange and learning – from start-ups to global market leaders.

Under the guiding theme "Navigate Complexity. Smart. Safe. Sustainable." For the In-novation Award, we expect ground-breaking solutions for sustainable productivity gains. These range from new technologies such as precision fermentation and 3D print-ing to smart approaches such as digitalisation, automation, sensor technology and AI. Contributions on hygienic design, predictive maintenance, real-time monitoring and IT security are also welcome, as are systemic concepts relating to the circular economy, decarbonisation, water responsibility and upcycling.

Innovations from areas such as process technology, automation, robotics, packaging, software solutions, logistics, food safety, environmental technology and biotechnology are eligible. Technologies for processing alternative protein sources are currently in high demand. This is a dynamic field that is shaping both established companies and start-ups.

The international jury reviews and evaluates the submissions in several expert rounds and decides on the winners. Whether newly developed or significantly improved: Inno-vative food technologies make an important contribution to conserving resources, re-ducing food losses and ensuring global food security. Advances in biotechnology are also opening up new diversity for different dietary styles.

Interested companies can find all the information they need on our website to ensure that their application to the jury is technically focused and transparent. Another im-portant aspect is that the International FoodTec Award is presented as gold and silver medals. A gold medal is awarded to products with a new conception, in which the func-tion has been decisively changed and the use of which makes a new process possible or significantly improves a known process. Silver medals will go to products that have been further developed in such a way that a significant improvement in the function or the process is achieved as a result. Consequently, we not only address companies that have developed completely new technologies, but also those whose creative engineer-ing teams have further developed existing technology in a practical manner. The closing date for application is 4 May 2026.

The award ceremony on 23 February 2027 at Anuga FoodTec in Cologne, Germany offers the winners an international stage with high visibility among industry profession-als. Exhibitors use the event specifically to showcase innovations and recognise the achievements of their teams. The award creates an ideal setting for exchange and net-working – even across industry boundaries. For example with academia, start-ups and new business partners.

For additional information, go to: DLG e.V., Fachzentrum Landwirtschaft & Lebens-mittel (Competence Center Agriculture and Food), Bianca Schneider-Häder, Eschborn-er Landstraße 122, 60489 Frankfurt am Main, Phone +49-(0)69 24788-360 , IFTA@DLG.org und online unter: www.foodtecaward.com