Quarterly - NEWS

The many constructive discussions conducted between Kölnmesse, the expert advisory board and exhibitors have made one thing perfectly clear: it's finally time for a trade fair again. It is time for face-to-face dialogue, for intensive networking and for an even more innovative Anuga FoodTec 2022 that will drive not only the industry forwards again, but also your business.

With Anuga FoodTec@home, Kölnmesse has opened up a new chapter that is proving very popular and fostering confidence, as indicated by the pleasing number of registrations for Anuga FoodTec 2022. The mix of the compact physical trade fair and the digital extension, Anuga FoodTec@home, offered optimum conditions for getting our industry up and running again!

The Anuga FoodTec expert advisory board, which is charged with determining the strategic and professional thrust of the trade fair, chosed the guiding theme of 'Smart Solutions & Higher Flexibility' for 2022. The reason being that digitalisation is the next technological step – the driving force behind progress, with which the entire value chain is dealing intensively in order to remain competitive.

There is no alternative to intelligent, smart solutions in the food industry. New technologies and concepts are needed along the entire value chain to cope with the numerous challenges being faced, no matter whether we are talking about raw material shortages, food waste, climate change, the shortage of skilled workers or consumers' increasing demands.

For suppliers and manufacturers, it is more crucial than ever before to implement needs-based, resource-efficient and customer-specific production while cutting costs at the same time. The key to a diversified product portfolio that is tailored to consumers' wishes is flexible and efficient yet environmentally- and climate-friendly production. Smart solutions are needed.

Important catalyst

As the world's leading trade fair, Anuga FoodTec is an important catalyst for the international food and beverage industry. It is the world's only supplier trade fair that covers all aspects of food production. Next year at the trade fair grounds in Cologne, the industry will once again be presenting its latest innovations and technological visions – from process technology to filling and packaging technology up to and including food safety, and from packaging materials and digitalisation to intralogistics.

With this concept, Anuga FoodTec convinced numerous companies to take part in 2022, including many market leaders. The AnugaFoodTec@home digital platform being im-plemented in parallel with the physical trade fair will enable exhibitors to effectively extend their trade fair presence in digital form. Because this innovative format offers opportunities for net-working and contact, especially with those visitors and interested persons who cannot attend the trade fair in Cologne in person next year.

The technical programme organised by DLG also offered an attractive mix of forums, discussions and presentations. Smart solutions for the industry were dealt with in over 33 sessions. These will focus mainly on technological innovations in the meat, dairy, baked goods and beverage sectors as well as other areas of the food industry. Amongst other aspects, innovations in the areas of logistics and digital supply chain, automation and robotics, smart solutions to prevent food waste, innovative tools in data and production security, intelligent packaging and artificial intelligence will be under scrutiny.

Various solution approaches for the individual branches, cross-sector technology transfer, an international technical programme and international networking with diverse experts from the international food industry are good reasons for marking Anuga FoodTec 2024 as a firm highlight in your calendar right away.