The U.S. marketplace remains one of the strongest food and beverage markets in the world, with unprecedented opportunities in all categories, according to the 2016 Food Packaging Trends and Advances Study, from PMMI, the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.
Respondents and industry experts estimate that the overall U.S. food packaging market will grow at a rate of 2.9 percent CAGR through 2022 to $31.7 billion. Food processing machinery continues its significant annual growth, too, increasing 13.8 percent, according to PMMI’s 2017 Trends in Food Processing Operations report.
Recognizing that North America needed a comprehensive food and beverage processing event to forge the industry’s path ahead, PACK EXPO, Anuga FoodTec, and International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) joined forces to launch a new event—ProFood Tech. Debuting April 4 to 6, 2017, at Chicago’s McCormick Place, the new biennial event is built to showcase innovations and crossover technologies for food and beverage markets with more than 400 of the world’s top suppliers occupying 150,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space.
For many attendees, finding solutions regarding compliance with upcoming the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) deadlines remain a top priority. According to PMMI’s 2016 Food Safety Modernization Act Update report, 30 percent of industry stakeholders said they were only “somewhat prepared” for FSMA compliance and 12 percent said they were not prepared at all.
Fresh fruit and vegetable processors and small food companies will have the most difficulty, as little previous regulatory government experience has left them scrambling. Companies that invest in compliance preparation for FSMA will better position their organizations for a smooth transition.
A home for dairy
Presented by the International Dairy Foods Association IDFA, The Dairy Pavilion at ProFood Tech replaces IDFA’s International Dairy Show. Dairy processors will be able to see their favorite industry suppliers and benefit from exposure to crossover technologies under one roof.
Educational opportunities
One of the centerpieces of ProFood Tech is the educational opportunities, including a world-class conference program and on-floor learning sessions.
The keynote address on Tuesday, April 4, at 8 a.m., will be delivered by five-time National Football League MVP and two-time Super Bowl winner Peyton Manning, a leader who understands how to build and run successful teams.
The ProFood Tech Learning Hub features free Innovation Stage and Regulatory Matters sessions while IDFA is leading a strong conference program and pre-conference workshops.
Each 30-minute Innovation Stage session focuses on fresh looks at breakthrough technologies, innovative applications, and proven techniques. Attendees have the opportunity to learn from industry experts on topics such as hygienic operations, improving sustainability, advanced spray technologies, and using robotic automation to fill labor shortage. Additionally, as part of the ProFood Tech Learning Hub, ProFood Tech will feature Regulatory Matters where expert speakers will present on key issues such as the FSMA, recall avoidance, cGMPs, conducting internal audits, traceability, documentation, food safety management, sanitary plant/equipment design, and much more. These complimentary 30-minute sessions will present an opportunity to discuss these key regulatory challenges with experts and peers following each session.
The ProFood Tech Conference Program offers a range of educational experiences to engage, inform, and inspire you. Each day starts with a big-picture keynote address by an influential leader, followed by a wide selection of concurrent sessions. Several sessions feature groundbreaking research about consumers, the impact of developing innovative products, and how consumers influence product development. The Master series features discussions about current product trends and Tech Talk sessions present new ways to improve operations.
Committed to providing food and beverage processors unparalleled opportunities to acquire new information about consumers and what they want, the ProFood Tech Conference Program features an entire track of sessions devoted specifically to consumer trends and marketing.
IDFA offers pre-show workshops
IDFA is also presenting pre-conference workshops that vary from one to three days in length. These workshops include Better Process Cheese School from April 2 to 3, FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food course from April 2 to 4, and Recall Ready? Managing Recalls and Protecting Your Brand workshop on April 3.
To provide perspective on the entire supply chain for food and beverage processing, and exposure to best practices from other industries, registration for ProFood Tech includes admission to co-located shows ProMat and Automate. The ProMat and Automate events are located in the nearby North and South Halls of McCormick Place. ProMat, sponsored by MHI, is North and South America’s premier material handling expo focusing on manufacturing and supply chain solutions and attracts more than 40,000 attendees. Automate, organized by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), is North America’s largest automation show, and showcases innovations and technologies in automation, including robotics, vision & imaging, motion control, metrology, and more. ProMat and Automate 2017 will total more than 1,200 exhibits and more than 100 complimentary educational sessions.
For last-minute show preparations visit ProFoodTech.com and download the ProFood Tech Mobile App from the App Store or Google Play.
These tools allow users to preview products, exhibitor listings, searchable conference sessions, and opportunities to plan an agenda for the three-day event.
