Recipe for Innovation: Key Takeaways from the 2025 European Food Manufacturing Summit

The European Food Manufacturing Summit proved to be a cornerstone event for the food and beverage manufacturing industry. Held on 11–12 June at the Maritime Hotel in Düsseldorf, Germany, the summit convened over 120 senior leaders for two days of strategic dialogue, high-impact networking, and exchange of critical insights shaping the future of F&B manufacturing.

This year’s program offered deep engagement across key topics—from supply chain resilience and food safety and quality, to operational excellence and innovation.

We’re deeply grateful to all who helped make this year’s gathering so impactful. A special thank you to our emcees, Bethan Grylls of Food Manufacture and Rodney Jack of Food and Drink Technology, whose expertise and presence brought cohesion, energy, and momentum to every session. It was an honor to have you lead the conversation.

Day 1: Building the Foundation for Partnership-Driven Innovation

The summit kicked off with an energizing keynote from David Cutter, Chief Supply Chain and R&D Officer at FrieslandCampina. In his session, “The Secret to Successful Supply Chain Transformation: Fundamentals First,” David emphasized the importance of strengthening core principles, such as standardization, collaboration, and lean methodology, before introducing advanced technologies. He demonstrated how a disciplined focus on the basics, powered by data and analytics, paves the way for sustained efficiency, innovation, and operational excellence.

Next, Carlos Parodi, the former SVP of Brewery Operations at Constellation Brands, delivered a dynamic plenary on elevating supply chain performance. His session explored how operational agility, digitalization, and sustainability initiatives are reshaping today’s supply chains, fueling smarter decisions, strengthening resilience, and reducing environmental impact.

Rounding out the morning, Matt Cicinelli, VP of US Operations and Global Supply Chain at HelloFresh, took the stage to share how the company is revolutionizing the food manufacturing industry. He outlined how predictive analytics, business intelligence, and cutting-edge technologies are enabling HelloFresh to maximize throughput, anticipate demand shifts, and seamlessly integrate people, processes, and machines in pursuit of leaner, smarter production.

The morning laid a strong foundation for the summit’s focus on actionable strategy and collaborative growth. Attendees carried the energy into the networking break and structured 1:1 meetings, building new connections and continuing the rich conversations sparked by the opening sessions.

Afternoon Deep Dive: AI-Powered Workshops and Streamlined Strategies for Food Manufacturing

Attendees broke into two focused streams—Process Optimization and Quality & Safety—enabling smaller, more targeted conversations around the operational strategies that matter most to their organizations.

In the Process Optimization stream, Davide Mussutto, VP of Global Operations at Nestlé Purina, led a session on sustainable packaging, offering real-world case studies from Purina’s own transformation journey.

Across the hall in the Quality & Safety stream, Kevin Deegan, Ph.D., VP of Innovation at Valio, explored how to build and nurture a culture of innovation, highlighting key practices that turn big ideas into scalable, quality-focused solutions.

The afternoon closed with two highly anticipated workshops. Sergio Hernandez of AG Solution presented “From Digitalization to Digital Mastery: Scaling AI in Food Manufacturing,” outlining practical steps to integrate AI at scale. At the same time, Jason Weiss of aiOla led “Conversational AI & the Future of Food Manufacturing,” showcasing emerging tools that are reshaping predictive maintenance, traceability, and accelerating decision-making across the plant floor.

During lunch in the exhibit hall, attendees kept the momentum going in small-group Lunch & Learn Roundtables hosted by QAD Redzone and Lineage. These interactive sessions tackled how AI can augment the core work of operators and unlock smarter, more resilient supply chains.

A Full Plate of Innovation: How Industry 5.0 Is Reshaping the Recipe for Operations

The afternoon began with sessions from two Fortune Global 500 companies. Vijay Kumar Kannan, VP of Digital Operations at Danone, and Madhavi Purohit, Global Head of Personal Care and Quality Lead at Unilever, shared how Industry 5.0, AI, and strong quality systems are shaping smarter, more connected, and customer-focused manufacturing operations.

Workshops continued with Alec Glennie of Solvace and Niels Lundgaard-Svenstrup of Lineage. Alec discussed how a leading food manufacturer scaled digital operational excellence across multiple sites, while Niels focused on optimizing the cold chain using digital tools to improve traceability, sustainability, and efficiency.

After a second networking break and 1:1 meetings, attendees returned to the final stream sessions. Herman Van Niekerk, Senior Director of Manufacturing, Appetizers, Central Europe at McCain Foods, led "Connecting and Unifying Production, Quality, and Maintenance," highlighting how integrated digital strategies enhance efficiency and traceability. At the same time, Yannick Steunou, Chief Digital Excellence Operations at Bel, presented "Elevating Operational Excellence in Food Manufacturing Through Performance Management and Automation," focusing on structured models that drive accountability and consistency across global operations.

Day 1 concluded with the panel "Transforming Food Manufacturing with Sustainable Innovation and Operational Excellence, featuring Edwige Sausset of Barilla, Nur Altug of Döhler Group, Anne Van De Poel of Bonduelle, and Tim Juchert of TraceGains. The panel examined how companies are integrating sustainability into their operations by leveraging business intelligence, minimizing waste, utilizing recyclable packaging, and optimizing processes with advanced technologies.

The day concluded with a vibrant Networking Drinks Reception, sponsored by QAD Redzone, featuring their signature Productivity Punch and lively conversations to close out a high-impact first day.

From AI to Automation: Powering the Future of Food Manufacturing

Day 2 began with a powerful plenary from Abigail Stevenson, Chief Science Officer at Mars, who delivered the session “AI Transforming the Food Ecosystem.” She highlighted the growing role of AI-driven innovation in accelerating scientific discovery and optimizing product and packaging development across the food industry.

Following this, Dmitry Shachenok, SVP of Supply Chain Strategy at Mondelez, presented “Data Ownership and Resilience: Why Supply Chains Must Embrace Information as an Asset.” He emphasized the importance of viewing data as a strategic asset to build more resilient and responsive supply chains by enabling quicker issue detection, stronger decision-making, and greater visibility into operations and workforce dynamics.

To close out the morning plenaries, attendees split into parallel sessions. Rossen Ivanov of Armstrong International led “Circular Thermal® – Efficiently Integrating High-Temperature Heat Pumps in Industrial Processes,” introducing Armstrong’s unique methodology to improve energy efficiency by transforming traditional one-way thermal systems into circular energy-saving models. The approach is especially impactful for industries operating below 200°C, such as food, beverage, pharma, and household goods.

At the same time, Tony Haddad, Founder and GM at Technica, hosted “Innovative Automation Solutions for Food Manufacturing: Enhancing Efficiency and Quality.” He explored how automation technologies are streamlining food production by reducing manual labor, increasing flexibility, improving food safety, and integrating smart tools such as IIoT and AI.

A mid-morning networking break provided attendees with the opportunity to reconnect with exhibitors, share insights with peers, and reflect on the strategic takeaways from the morning sessions as they prepared for a thought-provoking afternoon.

Well-Seasoned Sessions: Embedding Intelligence and Responsibility into Manufacturing 

After the networking break, Gilles Halotel, VP of Technical Taste at Kerry, presented “Designing Sustainable Processes for Efficient and Responsible Production.” He explored how embedding sustainability into process development from the outset, using advanced tools to boost efficiency, and aligning cross-functional teams can lead to continuous improvement and meaningful environmental impact.

Closing the Day with Food for Thought on Sustainability and Talent

Veganz Group carried their message of innovation into the final plenary of the day, where CEO Jan Bredack showcased how vertical farming is transforming sustainable food manufacturing. He spotlighted the use of controlled indoor environments to produce consistent protein sources, reduce waste, and implement closed-loop systems that enhance efficiency and scalability through automation and collaboration.

The day concluded with a thought-provoking panel on attracting and retaining skilled talent in the global food manufacturing sector. The discussion covered key strategies, including strengthening employer branding, implementing training and upskilling programs, developing effective people managers, and fostering a culture of continuous learning to build a resilient, future-ready workforce. Featuring insights from Sylvie Noel, Senior Director and People Lead, Global Supply at Mondelez International, Jonas Van Eykeren, Director, Site and Operations at Tropicana Brands Group, Rowdy Van Raalten, Site Director at Refresco, and Rick Van Echtelt, Founder and CEO at AG5, attendees heard from top leaders driving workforce excellence across the industry.

From Farm to Future: A Look at What’s Next in Food & Beverage Manufacturing

The summit showcased how the food and beverage industry is embracing innovation, from AI and automation to vertical farming and sustainable process design, while prioritizing talent, efficiency, and resilience across the value chain.

Reserve your seat now to be part of next year’s conversations shaping the future of food manufacturing. Learn more and reserve your place at: foodmaneurope.com

Testimonials

“Super well organized. The presentations and sponsors are very relevant to my job. Super well organized. I am excited to join next year.”

Michael Strabel, Chief Engineer Nordics & Benelux, Nestle

“Very nice experience. I have gained a lot of new ideas to implement in our own company, shared a lot of knowledge with other professionals, and met useful solution providers that could help improve our processes on-site. Great event, a lot of interesting attendees, happy to share and discuss different topics. Nice area, good food, and coffee.”

Manca Kok Bevc, Quality Manager, Incom D.O.O

“Great place to network with delegates on shared challenges. The level of seniority and knowledge at the event is spot on. We have the feeling the decision-makers are here.”

Azevedo Rob, Head of Industry, TrendMiner

“Very good. Positively surprised by the high quality of the organisation, sponsors, speakers, and participants. Very insightful, inspiring, and honest presentations. Great variety of themes and styles”

David Vandersaenen, VP, New Product Development, CO-RO A/A

“Great networking, great presentation content, and opportunities to discover new tools for our manufacturing environment.”

Laure Roger, Food Safety Manager, Flora Food Group

“Good and deep conversations with market leaders, especially facilitated by 1-1 set up, great venue and food”

Martin Thesling, Commercial Capability Lead, OMP

“This has been a really great event with lots of senior people from our prospects. If feature events have a similar level of attendance, I would definitely do it again in the future.”

Ryan Marshall, Senior Global Account Director, QAD Redzone

“Excellent opportunity to get new inspiration. Nice setup of the event, which helps to make real contact with peers and suppliers.”

Andor Hendriks, Director Technology, FrieslandCampina

Learn more about our fall 2025 European events and secure your spot today:

• European Biomanufacturing Summit | 22-23 October 2025
• European Supply Chain Summit | 28-29 October 2025
• European Manufacturing Summit | 11-12 November 2025