Alimentaria FoodTech

Fibre is experiencing a landmark moment. Driven by viral trends such as fibermaxxing and growing interest in gut health, it has become the most recognized nutrient among European consumers: 92% know it is important and 71% pay attention to their intake. Even so, most consumers do not know how much fibre they actually consume.

In this session, Innova Market Insights combines consumer and product launch data from across Europe to explain how the market is evolving. We will explore why gut health is increasingly seen as a benefit for the whole body and how fibre is expanding into categories such as sports nutrition and soft drinks. We will also examine the fastest-growing ingredients, including tapioca, beet and soy fibre, and what leading brands and retailers are doing in this space.

A session for brands and ingredient suppliers looking for the next growth opportunities in fibre, prebiotics and digestive health.

As consumers become increasingly informed and the obligations of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) come into force, packaging has become a key factor in meeting new market expectations, sustainability goals and regulatory requirements.

How are consumers’ purchasing and consumption habits being affected? What obligations actually apply and how has the regulatory framework evolved (EPR, declaration of conformity, etc.)? What criteria should be considered (eco-design, labelling, etc.)? How should companies adapt? What initiatives and areas of work are being promoted across the sector?

As part of EIT Water, the WAVEMAKER Business Creation Award Spain 2026 awards ceremony will be held, recognizing the selected projects for their potential to deliver innovative solutions to water-related challenges.

The event will take place on 7 October at 1:00 p.m. at Alimentaria FoodTech, in the Start-up Corner, in an informal format combining a vermouth reception and an awards ceremony.

Ricardo Roque will share the story behind BRAINR, from his years leading technology at Grupo Lusiaves as CEO to building a new operating model for food factories: the ERP runs the business, while a Factory Operating System runs the factory floor.

Ricardo Roque will explain the IT recipe that enabled Grupo Lusiaves to grow fivefold without losing control of the factory, and how that experience became the foundation for BRAINR, which since 2023 has managed more than €1.6 billion worth of meat production annually.