This year, Bilbao once again became the epicenter of food innovation with the joint celebration of Food 4 Future – Expo FoodTech and Pick&Pack for Food Industry.

This key event for the foodtech sector brought together over three days more than 8,500 professionals, 379 national and international experts, and nearly 250 leading exhibitors in food and innovation, to set the foundations for the future of an industry in need of a structural transformation based on technology, sustainability, and collaboration. Thanks to the insights shared by key players across the value chain, Expo FoodTech and Pick&Pack for Food Industry, together with AZTI’s technological innovation team, have outlined a 10-point roadmap shaping the sector in 2025:

1. Artificial Intelligence is already changing everything

AI has established itself as the cross-cutting technology throughout the agri-food chain. From crop yield forecasting to industrial process automation and logistics optimisation, its impact is tangible: reduced costs, lower energy consumption (-40 %), and decreased CO₂ emissions (-35 %). Companies such as Eurecat and UMYNO Solutions presented solutions integrating digital twins, machine learning, and ERP-connected platforms, proving that AI not only improves processes but also drives more sustainable, resilient, and consumer-focused models.

2. Robotics and automation: from vineyard to shelf

Smart robotics is transforming everything from precision agriculture to in-plant logistics. In the field, sensors and robotic arms analyse crop conditions in real time to optimise harvests. In industrial environments, solutions such as Beckhoff Automation’s XPlanar – based on magnetic levitation – allow frictionless movement of objects, reducing mechanical wear and improving energy efficiency. Additive manufacturing (3D printing) also enables on-demand production of custom spare parts, reducing downtime and logistics costs. Companies are seeking automation without losing adaptability.

3. 360º sustainability: from commitment to data

Sustainability is no longer a label; it is becoming a systemic transformation. It’s not just about reducing emissions, but integrating economic, social, and environmental indicators into business models. Tools like Envirodigital, developed by AZTI, allow measurement, prediction, and reduction of the environmental impact of food products throughout their lifecycle. Based on the EU’s Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology, this software analyses 16 environmental categories, identifies critical points, and facilitates eco-design strategies to improve environmental performance. Initiatives from McCain (targeting 100 % regenerative agriculture by 2030), PepsiCo (with its zero-emissions plant in Etxabarri), and cooperatives like Kaiku and COVAP demonstrate that sustainability is now a competitive advantage.

4. Radical transparency and total traceability

Traceability has become a must. Technologies such as blockchain, smart labels, dynamic QR codes, and geolocation systems make it possible to track food from source to point of sale, ensuring authenticity and reducing the risk of food fraud. Carrefour has already implemented blockchain systems for fresh products, while platforms such as OpenSC and Provenance are democratising access to these tools. Transparency is now a key competitive factor and a powerful differentiator in an increasingly demanding market.

5. Talent and innovative culture: the silent engine

One of the most urgent challenges for the food industry is the lack of specialised talent. In a context of unprecedented digital and sustainable transformation, there is a shortage of technical profiles with expertise in robotics, AI, or data analytics. Expo FoodTech 2025 emphasised that simply hiring professionals is not enough—companies must build attractive, flexible cultures aligned with the values of new generations. Retaining talent means offering purposeful projects, real growth opportunities, and trust-based environments. Investing in human capital will be as decisive as investing in innovation.

6. Open innovation ecosystems

The food sector is adopting open innovation and co-creation models to accelerate transformation. Platforms such as the newly launched Sandbox AgriFoodTech enable startups, technology centers, and companies to work together on disruptive solutions with technical support, resources, and market orientation. The sector’s pace of change demands strategic alliances that transcend competition, encourage knowledge sharing, allow small-scale experimentation, and quickly scale what works. The key to future success will be building flexible networks with a global vision and local action.

7. New proteins and precision fermentation

Biotechnology is revolutionising our diets. Precision fermentation, cell cultivation, and ingredients such as fungi, algae, or rubisco are creating new proteins with high nutritional value and low environmental impact. Organisations like AZTI are developing functional foods that match traditional products in taste and texture, while delivering sustainable benefits. These solutions not only meet growing demand but also pave the way for more accessible, ethical, and planet-friendly diets.

8. Personalised nutrition for proactive health

Personalised diets are now a reality thanks to advances in genetics, microbiota research, AI, and sensory technologies. Startups and centers like AZTI are creating solutions that tailor nutrition to individual needs based on biological profiles, lifestyles, or health conditions. This approach not only improves well-being but also prevents chronic diseases and promotes active aging. According to EIT Food, by 2050, 30 % of Europeans will be over 65, and nutrition will be key to maintaining quality of life.

9. Packaging: innovation that informs, preserves, and connects

Packaging is no longer just a container—it is a communication channel, a logistics tool, and a sustainability driver. At Pick&Pack 2025, innovations such as smart labels, biodegradable materials, and edible packaging were showcased. These solutions not only optimise product life cycles but also enhance the consumer experience. According to EIT Food’s Consumer Observatory, 51 % of Europeans prioritise healthy and sustainable options, and packaging acts as a key guide in that decision-making process.

10. Smart and resilient logistics

Digitalisation has reached logistics, traditionally one of the more opaque areas. Cold chain monitoring, predictive analytics, and AI-powered dynamic routing are helping reduce losses, minimise emissions, and ensure food safety. Pick&Pack for Food Industry 2025 presented successful case studies in logistics digitalisation, highlighting this area’s role as a strategic lever for competitiveness and resilience in the face of disruptions such as health crises or geopolitical conflicts.

Prinova has identified growing demand for ingredients for the mind as one of nine emerging food, beverage and nutrition “mega-trends”. In a new report on functional health trends, it also spotlights the increasing prominence of branded ingredients, and growing demand for “real foods”.

The leading provider of ingredients and premixes commissioned expert researchers to analyse patterns in retail and food service and to conduct social media listening. This allowed it to build a framework of nine macro-trends that will shape the industry in 2024 and beyond.

The report highlights the growing number of products containing adaptogens and nootropics, which it attributes to factors such as enduring concerns around performance, focus and “brain fog” in the wake of the pandemic. It also notes growing demand for natural sources of caffeine, such as yerba and matcha, as consumers seek “an antidote to boom and bust caffeination”. Meanwhile, ongoing talk about the stress of modern life, coupled with research on the importance of sleep and rest, has led to “an array of adaptogenic ingredients” being included in everyday food and beverage products.

The Prinova report also notes that “branded ingredients are emerging from the depths of the ingredient list, with logos making their way to the front of product packaging, “particularly in categories like plant-based and performance nutrition. Prinova’s range of branded ingredients includes enduracarb^® , a science-backed, slow-release ‘double sugar’ for endurance, and Bacopin^®, a bacopa monniera ingredient which, studies show, may help improve memory and attention.

Other mega-trends identified in the report include:

• ‘Real Food Rules’: A shift away from complicated ingredient lists as consumers embrace ingredients in their most natural, unprocessed form. This includes recognising the benefit of animal-based products again, including previously maligned elements such as full fat.
• ‘Hack my Health’: With growing interest in the way products interact with our genotypes, phenotypes and lifestyles, companies are increasingly offering personalised services to cater for unique needs.
• ‘Targeted Nutrition’: Consumers are increasingly aware of the nutritional interventions they can make to improve their wellbeing at different life stages. More knowledgeable than ever, they are looking for products with detailed claims.

James Street, Marketing Director, EMEA & APAC at Prinova, said: “Consumers are looking to food, beverage and nutrition products to meet a growing number of needs. To identify where the opportunities are, and to help our customers create innovative, new products, we’ve created a future-facing framework that identifies the most important emerging trends. We’ve seen how consumers are looking for nutritional ‘hacks’ in areas like cognitive performance and emotional wellbeing, while also yearning for a return to products with ‘real food’ or ‘natural’ credentials. And our research also shows that manufacturers are recognising branded ingredients as one of the best ways to communicate science-backed benefits and bolster credibility.”

Discover the emerging trends in the full report: https://www.prinovaglobal.com/eu/en/resources/news/2024-and-2025-trends

Provisional consolidated EBIT 2021|22 prior to war-related extraordinary items forecast to be around EUR 95.5 million

The AGRANA Group previously anticipated EBIT in the 2021/22 financial year (1 March 2021 to 28 February 2022) to amount to at least EUR 86.6 million (guidance: a significant increase of at least 10 % compared to the prior year). On the basis of provisional, unaudited figures, the Group would generate EBIT prior to extraordinary items associated with the Ukraine war of around EUR 95.5 million (EBIT 2020/21: EUR 78.7 million). Group revenue will amount to around EUR 2.9 billion (2020/21: EUR 2,547.0 million).

The outbreak of the war in Ukraine on 24 February 2022 represents a relevant event for AGRANA as at the balance sheet date of 28 February 2022. Based on the current status of internal impairment testing, Management currently anticipates a largely non-cash impact on EBIT related to asset and goodwill impairments in a range of EUR 65 million to EUR 85 million. The consolidated audit performed by the appointed auditors is presently ongoing at the level of AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG. It is therefore not possible at this point in time to exactly define the actual scope of the impairments necessary.

The 2021/22 annual report will be published as planned on 13 May 2022.