drinktec 2021, the world's leading trade fair for the beverage and liquid food industry, aims to present the future of the industry with four key themes: Sustainable Production & Packaging, Consumer World & Product Design, Water & Water Treatment and Digital Solutions & Digital Transformation.
drinktec will take place at the Munich Exhibition Centre from 4 to 8 October 2021. According to the trade fair organiser, the Demand at home and abroad stronger than ever despite the coronavirus crisis and most of the available space is already occupied.
„Despite the postponement of drinktec to October 2021 and the coronavirus crisis, we are experiencing demand for space, especially from abroad, that is significantly higher than in the same period of the previous event. It seems that our customers are pinning their hopes on the date in autumn next year to boost international business. The principle applies: the earlier you register, the greater the chance of getting the space you want,“ says Project Manager Markus Kosak.
Future topics in the industry
The project team and the drinktec advisory board, together with the VDMA Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association, have Four key topics identified. These will dominate drinktec 2021 and characterise the special areas, the exhibition area and the expert panels in the forums.
Key topic Sustainable production & packaging
Beverage manufacturers are already taking action: energy-efficient machines are a must in production. Individual components, some of which can be retrofitted, improve consumption data. Innovative lubricants, e.g. based on algae, may also come into play in the future.
Also Sustainability is mandatory for beverage packagingPET bottles made from 100 per cent recyclate, the closure material or the treatment of directly printed bottles in recycling will continue to occupy the industry in 2021.
The packaging developers are also continuing to be creative. A paper bottle - still a prototype - offers new potential for environmentally friendly packaging. Glass and metal remain attractive as fully recyclable materials. It will be interesting to see whether there will be greater demand for cardboard or bag-in-box solutions - particularly in light of changing consumer habits.
Key topic Consumer world & product design
Natural ingredients, a low-sugar composition and ‚organic‘ are the trend when it comes to purchasing decisions. Market researchers see blurring the boundaries between juice and tea or between smoothies and cold soups. Vegan protein drinks will also provide new flavour inspiration.
At the same time enjoyment at home plays a greater role, triggered by the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus crisis. This has led to greater demand for wine and new beer creations. This is revitalising the alcoholic product segment.
Whether and how consumer behaviour will continue to change with and after corona remains a challenging question. The beverage manufacturer must definitely take the Desire for transparency: Ingredients and their origin are consistently tracked on their way to the consumer - for example with blockchain solutions.
Key topic water & water treatment
Water management is one of the most urgent tasks for many beverage producers who have to cope with the limited availability of this valuable raw material. Two levers are a key factor for visitors to drinktec when it comes to beverage production. Treatment of the product water and the Economical use of process water.
Cloud solutions and real-time tracking of production systems offer rapid evaluation and intervention options. These measures can be summarised under the keyword „Industrial water 4.0“ which, with improved sensor technology and process simulation, for example, provides a quick basis for decision-making in practice and allows flexible system utilisation.
Key topic Digital solutions & digital transformation
Networking is also becoming increasingly important in the classic production process in beverage production. Simulation tools for machine design are already well established. The beverage producer gains a comprehensive insight into the machine design even before installation.
For highly automated production, AI (artificial intelligence) calculations are then used to integrate values from the environment - such as the weather and its influence on beverage consumption - into the production process. The digital solutions ultimately link all participants in the supply chain: the machine manufacturer with the beverage producer, the beverage producer with its logistics service providers, suppliers and, last but not least, the consumer.
Source: Munich Trade Fair Centre
