INTERPACK PREVIEW BRINGS TOGETHER


SOLUTIONS FOR THE CONFECTIONERY AND BAKERY INDUSTRY


The confectionery and bakery industry is growing – yet at the same time faces significant pressure to transform. Remaining competitive requires investment. To this end, interpack 2026 will bring together the industry’s technological offerings across three halls covering around 40,000 square metres.


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nterpack 2026 once again offers its visitors dedicated zones for their respective sectors. The confectionery and bakery zone spans Halls 1, 3 and 4, directly at the South Entrance of the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre. Manufacturers will find solutions there covering the entire


value chain – from raw material processing through shaping and coating to primary and secondary packaging. Exhibitors here include Aasted, Sollich, Theegarten-Pactec, SACMI Packaging & Chocolate, Bühler and Coperion. This means the technological core of the industry is represented on site. This is complemented by the world’s largest selection of packaging materials and supplies in Halls 7–10. In total, over 2,800 exhibitors from around the world are expected at interpack from 7 to 13 May.


Stable industry environment with clear growth momentum The outlook is positive despite numerous challenges. The global market for baked goods stood at 177 million tonnes in 2024. Growth of 9.6 per cent is expected by 2029. Markets in the Middle East and Africa are developing particularly dynamically. The global confectionery market is also set to grow by 4.5 per cent by 2029. Latin America, the Middle East and Africa are showing double-digit growth rates, whilst North America is experiencing a slight decline (source: Euromonitor International/VDMA). The market environment is therefore stable. At the same time, sales regions, cost structures and regulatory frameworks are shifting.


Exhibitors clearly identify the need for action The scale of the challenges is highlighted by companies exhibiting in the confectionery and bakery sector at interpack 2026. One of these is Bühler, which can be found in Hall 3 at interpack. Thomas Isom, Global


Head of Business Development Consumer Foods at Bühler, explains, for example: “The greatest pressure for transformation stems from the combined impact of raw material crises, sustainability requirements, health regulations and rising costs. The key levers for companies therefore lie in three areas: resilient and sustainable raw material and supply chains, recipe and product innovation (particularly sugar reduction and alternative ingredients), and increased efficiency and flexible production.” These structural requirements are compounded by a tight cost situation.


“The confectionery industry, and the chocolate industry in particular, is currently under massive cost pressure, primarily due to sharply rising raw material prices. This is increasing the demand for highly efficient and durable production facilities. At the same time, rising energy costs are forcing investment in modern technologies that significantly reduce energy consumption,” says Klaus-Dietrich Franzmeier, Director of Sales & Marketing at Sollich. The company is exhibiting across more than 1,000 square metres in Hall 3, making it one of the largest exhibitors at interpack. Against a backdrop of fluctuating raw material costs, staff shortages and growing uncertainties regarding trade and tariffs, Chris Isom, General


IN THE ‘MINIMARKET’ AND THE ‘FOOD SENSATION LAB’, PRODUCERS WILL FIND INSPIRATION AND IDEAS FOR NEW PRODUCTS


22 • KENNEDY’S CONFECTION • APRIL 2026


Images: Constanze Tillmann, Mintarder Weg 34, 40472 Duesseldorf, Germany


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