PROSWEETS & ISM REVIEW


manufacturers require machinery that can run it. Consumers seek functional benefits; processors must adapt dosing systems accordingly. Cologne’s dual-event model captures this convergence uniquely well. Taken together, ISM and ProSweets


retained its human dimension. Networking events, from ISM Opening Night to the ProSweets Party, were not peripheral. In an industry still built on long-term partnerships and trust-based supply agreements, face-to- face dialogue remains irreplaceable. The DLG Careers Day also signalled


recognition of a looming talent gap. As production becomes more digitised, the sector requires engineers fluent in both mechanical systems and data analytics, a hybrid skill set not traditionally associated with confectionery.


Toward ISM manufacturing The 2027 rebranding of ProSweets to ISM Manufacturing formalises what is already operational reality: the industry’s value chain


is inseparable. From ingredient functionality to machine calibration to shelf-ready packaging, decisions ripple across disciplines. If anything, 2026 demonstrated that the technical and commercial spheres are converging faster than ever. Retailers demand sustainable packaging;


2026 conveyed cautious optimism. Despite macroeconomic uncertainty, investment in technology and product development remains robust. The tone was pragmatic rather than exuberant — focused on efficiency, compliance and scalable innovation. The most compelling takeaway was not a single machine or product launch, but a broader shift: confectionery manufacturing is becoming more data-driven, more flexible and more sustainability-oriented, while product development grows more health-conscious and globally inspired. The next ProSweets/ISM is scheduled to take place from 31 January to 3 February 2027.


ISM Award 2026 goes to Dr. Uwe Lebens of Genuport


IN TODAY’S CONFECTIONERY MARKET, SUCCESS DEPENDS NOT ONLY ON FLAVOUR AND BRAND STRENGTH, BUT ON ENGINEERING PRECISION, DATA INTELLIGENCE AND SUPPLY CHAIN RESILIENCE


Dr. Uwe Lebens, owner and long-standing Chief Operating Officer of Genuport Trade GmbH, has been awarded the prestigious ISM Award 2026. The official presentation of the award took place during the new ISM Opening Night on the evening of the first day of the fair on 1 February 2026. The award honours his outstanding lifetime achievements, his long-term contribution to the further development of the International Sweets & Biscuit Fair (ISM) and his services as a driving force of the sweets industry. Dr. Uwe Lebens joined the management


of Genuport in 1989 and has shaped the family business long-term. Under his leadership, Genuport extended its international presence and strengthened its position as a leading importer and distributor in Germany. In addition to his entrepreneurial activities, Dr. Lebens was actively involved in various industry associations for decades: as a founding member and Honorary Chairman of the SWEETS GLOBAL NETWORK e.V. (SG), in the International Sweets and Biscuits Fair Task Force (AISM) since 1989 and from 2001 to 2010 on the Board of the European Sales and Marketing Association (ESMA). In December 2025, Dr. Lebens handed


16 • KENNEDY’S CONFECTION • FEBRUARY 2026


over the operative management to his son, Konstantin Lebens, thus completing a successful generation change. Genuport is a founding member of ISM and has been represented continuously with its own stand at the trade fair since 1971. “The ISM Award fills me with immense


gratitude. Genuport and I have been part of the International Sweets & Biscuits Trade Fair since 1989. ISM is a place of encounter, innovation and dialogue. As a member of the ISM Task Force, I was able to actively participate in the continual further development of the trade fair format. My special thanks go to our long-standing partners, dedicated companions and the leading personalities of the international sweets industry, who have made this joint path possible and enriched it,” said Dr. Uwe Lebens, long-standing Chief Operating Officer and current Chief Representative of Genuport. “Dr. Uwe Lebens has contributed


outstanding services to the sweets industry. The ISM Award recognises his long- standing commitment, his contribution to the further development of the ISM and his impressive lifetime achievements at the family business Genuport,” said Bastian Fassin, Chairman of the Association of the German Sweets Industry e.V. (BDSI).


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