• An event bringing together 360 technology and ingredient companies and 15.800 professionals from the agri-food industry has come to an end
• The trade show has showcased the most advanced solutions for securing greater efficiency during the manufacturing and transformation of food and beverages

Today, Alimentaria FoodTech, the machinery, equipment and ingredients trade show for the agri-food industry, brought to an end a successful fair that has congregated the largest firms in the industry and more than 15.800 professionals at Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via venue for four days to promote business and innovation in the industry. The fair has displayed the latest automation, digitisation and artificial intelligence-based solutions to increase the competitiveness of companies and the sustainability of their processes.

Over 360 exhibiting companies from 20 countries, about a thousand brands and 60 startups have attended Alimentaria FoodTech. For four days, the trade show has provided a stage for the largest cross-cutting range of technological solutions, services and ingredients for professionals in the agri-food production chain, including food and beverage processing, industry 4.0, packaging, handling, storage, ingredients and food security.

This year, alternative protein, sustainable packaging, digitisation and artificial intelligence have played starring roles, both at the exhibition and during the 70 informative and pitching sessions held at the FoodTech Innovarena space, a technological innovation hub featuring over 125 speakers.

The innovations that have been presented at the trade show include Cocuus 3D food printers, capable of producing bacon, shrimps and T-bone steaks with a vegetable protein base, Ynsect’s worm flour protein, which can be used to make burgers and pasta, NutraSal, a low-sodium salt substitute made by Dysproquimia, and the Traceable Copilot virtual assistant, a tool with AI and blockchain technology specialising in the agri-food industry.

The main exhibiting companies have included Handtmann, Vaessen Schoemaker, Weber, Impag Iberia, Jarvis, Dordal, Roser, Pujolàs, Frontmatec Intecal, Mimasa, Haratek, Christeyns, Hiperbaric, Bioser and Amerex. Moreover, the fair has been supported by leading entities in the foodtech field, such as amec alimentec, the community of internationalised industrial companies, FIAB, the Spanish Federation of Food and Drink Industries, and IRTA, the Institute of Agri-food Research and Technology, among many others.

Ricardo Márquez, director of Alimentaria FoodTech, declared that “this year we’ve been able to confirm the vitality of an industry providing innovative technological solutions that are essential in enabling food and beverage manufacturers to enhance the efficiency, competitiveness, sustainability and security of their processes and products. We’ve also fulfilled our objective of generating numerous business opportunities among the professionals throughout the food industry value chain”.

Greater internationalisation
With a more international fair than ever before, Alimentaria FoodTech has reflected the excellent state of affairs in the Spanish industry of technology, equipment and ingredients for the food and beverage industry. 20% of the exhibitors have been international, chiefly from Italy, Germany and France, and professional visitors from 30 countries who purchase Spanish food technology have attended.

Alimentaria FoodTech’s Hosted Buyers programme has been essential in continuing to promote the international business of its exhibiting firms, in coordination with amec, through which 80 high-level buyers from outside Spain were invited and nearly 800 work meetings have been generated.

Mexico has been the guest country, as it’s regarded as strategic for an industry that has an important target market in Latin America. Thus, a mission of 20 Mexican buyers has visited Alimentaria FoodTech and attended a comprehensive programme in order to reinforce and expand its relationship with the exhibiting companies at the trade show.
During Alimentaria FoodTech trade show days the Innova and Emprende awards were presented to four companies and four startups for their latest innovations related to sustainability, food security, consumer health and digitisation.

The next Alimentaria FoodTech fair will take place from 6 to 9 October 2026 at Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via venue.

29 September 2023

Susana Santamaria / Mar Claramonte

ssantamaria@alimentaria.com / mclaramonte.op@alimentaria.com