PROSWEETS & ISM REVIEW
MANUFACTURING AS STRATEGY
As sustainability mandates, functional formulations and digital optimisation reshape the confectionery sector, ISM and ProSweets 2026 revealed an industry where engineering precision is now as decisive as flavour innovation. Kiran Grewal reports.
C
ologne in early February has become something of an annual barometer for the global sweets and snacks industry. For four days,
the halls of Koelnmesse compress the entire value chain into a walkable ecosystem — from cocoa derivatives and functional sweeteners to enrobers, flow wrappers and finished retail-ready SKUs. In 2026, ISM and ProSweets once again
operated as parallel events and as always, complementary forces. If ISM defines what the world wants to eat next, ProSweets determines whether and how it can be made, profitably, sustainably and at scale. With around 1,790 exhibitors across the
trio of ISM, ISM Ingredients and ProSweets, and 32,500 trade visitors from 140 countries, the scale alone reaffirmed Cologne’s gravitational pull. But scale is no longer the defining metric. What stood out this year was integration — technically, strategically and structurally.
The industry’s technical backbone ProSweets Cologne 2026 carried particular weight as the last edition before its 2027 transition into ISM Manufacturing, formally bringing the supply-side exhibition under the ISM umbrella brand. While largely a structural change, it reflects that manufacturing isn’t adjacent to innovation, it is central to it. The fair retained its four defined
“worlds”: Packaging Materials, Packaging Technology, Production Technology, and Operating Equipment & Auxiliary Devices. This segmentation allowed for efficient navigation, but more importantly, it reinforced the message that production challenges today are rarely isolated. Packaging influences line speed; ingredient choice affects depositor
14 • KENNEDY’S CONFECTION • FEBRUARY 2026
performance; regulatory compliance impacts material selection. One of the most visible themes was AI-
driven optimisation. Digital twins, predictive maintenance systems and machine-learning- based quality control were commercially available systems being actively discussed in terms of ROI and retrofit feasibility. In confectionery manufacturing, where
margins are often tight and line stoppages costly, predictive analytics is moving from optional upgrade to strategic necessity. Several machinery exhibitors emphasised real-time monitoring platforms that reduce
waste through micro-adjustments in depositor timing or temperature control — particularly relevant in chocolate moulding and gummy depositing, where viscosity and moisture content directly affect yield. Equally prominent was the emphasis on
energy efficiency. With sustained volatility in energy markets across Europe, exhibitors highlighted reduced-consumption tempering systems, improved insulation in ovens and enrobers, and modular retrofitting solutions. The industry appears to be shifting from capital-intensive line replacement to incremental performance upgrades — extending asset life while reducing operational footprint.
Packaging under pressure Sustainability, of course, was unavoidable. The forthcoming EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) has sharpened the focus on recyclability, mono- material structures and reduced packaging weight. What was notable at ProSweets was the
IF ISM DEFINES WHAT THE
WORLD WANTS TO EAT NEXT, PROSWEETS DETERMINES WHETHER — AND HOW — IT CAN BE MADE PROFITABLY, SUSTAINABLY AND AT SCALE
degree to which packaging technology suppliers are now working upstream with material developers. Machinery demonstrations increasingly featured recyclable films and paper-based laminates running at competitive speeds — addressing the long-standing tension between sustainability goals and line efficiency. Several exhibitors demonstrated
improved sealing technologies for thinner films and temperature-sensitive substrates. Historically, more sustainable materials have required compromises in barrier properties or machinability. The tone in 2026 suggested that gap is narrowing. This matters profoundly for confectionery, where shelf-life stability
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