The Alimentaria Hub

At ALIBER 2026, the latest trends in new business models (technology platforms, innovation hubs, clusters, etc.), entrepreneurship (startups), new technologies and new trends in healthy food, consumer perception, circular economy and digitalization at the IAB will be presented.

In this session, we will share practical insights on how to protect brands and turn them into a strategic asset for any company. We will explain how to simplify the procedures and make them more accessible for SMEs and entrepreneurs, helping them strengthen their identity and compete more effectively in the market.

This insightful presentation, offers an exclusive glimpse into the future of the industry. Dive deep into the latest market and consumer trends as we highlight the breakthrough directions and innovations set to transform the food and beverage world in 2026 and beyond. This presentation will empower you with the forward-thinking insights you need to stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Built on a strong productive base and a diverse innovative industry, Argentina is consolidating its position as a strategic partner for the global supply of food and beverages.

In this presentation, I introduce the first innovation developed since our arrival at the company: a new range of high-protein sandwiches, designed to respond to the growing demand for functional and ready-to-eat products. The range includes four different flavours, each providing 22 g of protein per 150 g serving, combining nutritional value, taste, and convenience.

The food industry is undergoing an unprecedented transformation driven by Deep Tech technologies such as AI, robotics, photonics and biotechnology. These solutions are reshaping processes, optimising resources and addressing social and environmental challenges that were considered insurmountable. We will explore real case studies from leading companies applying these technologies, redefining production models and sector competitiveness.

Pasta is one of the most consumed dishes in the world and, paradoxically, one of the worst executed outside traditional restaurants. In this talk, Relleno explains how it addresses this challenge through its own system combining technology, design, and operations, integrating innovation and logistics to ensure consistency at scale, from raw materials to the last mile, in any city and channel. Pasta as an operating system.

At Empresas Polar, with 85 years of brewing experience, we combine curiosity and passion for the consumer to serve the informed and discerning European audience. By analyzing trends and market context, we developed an innovative proposition, delivering a premium, indulgent, and balanced experience designed to pair perfectly with Spanish and European consumption preferences

Factory of Mexican products ready to eat, stored at room temperature in Barcelona, ​​Spain.

The tortilla and the smash burger are global icons in the world of gastronomy. In Spain, these niches are clearly led by two key players who have reached the top through high-quality products, a premium brand experience, and innovative strategies in which social media has played a decisive role.

The QR code is presented as the future and present of the barcode to improve efficiency in-store and open a digital channel to communicate directly with the consumer. With this technology, food safety can be enhanced, food waste can be reduced, and at the same time, it can redirect users to an extended product label containing a lot of additional information about the product

How is the trend of satiating products linked to GLP-1 redefining food innovation? In this presentation, we will explore the challenges and strategic opportunities it presents for the agri-food industry.

Innoval 2026 Awards Ceremony, an event recognizing the food industry's investment in R&D.

The 17 best innovations were highlighted, distributed as follows:
Retail Channel Award
Horeca Channel Award
Impulse Channel Award
Award for the best innovation in each of the four trends (pleasure, convenience, health, and sustainability)
Distributor Award
Award by category

More than 720 million people in the Mercosur area are awaiting the European Court of Justice. The EU and India have signed a promising agreement at a time when international trade is moving away from the umbrella of the WTO. Bilateral agreements between large countries are taking precedence over the multilateral framework that has been in place until now, while the planet is experiencing the highest number of open armed conflicts since WW II.

For years, promotions have been used as short-term tactical levers. Today, however, they have become one of the main touchpoints between brands and consumers. In this session, we will explore how brands are transforming their promotional strategies toward more relationship-driven models, combining high-impact campaigns and loyalty programs to generate engagement, consumer insights, and sustainable long-term growth.

Leading companies in the agri-food sector that are part of Forética's Sustainable Food Systems initiative will share the measures they are implementing to generate a positive social impact on communities, consumers and their workers. They will show what it means to lead by example, highlighting the results and positive impacts that are already being achieved for people's well-being.

Triptolemos Foundation is a global pioneer in sustainable food systems: ALIMENTARIA's 50th anniversary invites reflection. Leaders committed to Sustainable Food Systems will share their experiences, demonstrating how business leadership, innovation, science, and cooperation enable progress toward more competitive, sustainable, and healthy food models, generating positive social impact and economic value

The rules of the game have changed. AI is no longer just a tool for chatting or creating text; it can now pursue business goals and make autonomous decisions. We have moved from giving simple instructions to ChatGPT to enabling AI to work independently to deliver results. Today, there is a strong competitive advantage in redesigning processes and a real cost in continuing to rely on legacy tools in this new era

Discover consumer habits around how food is handled, stored, and prepared at home. In this session, we’ll share insights from the 2nd edition of the AECOC Shopperview Food Safety Barometer, highlighting the important role consumers play in ensuring food safety.

During this presentation, Innova explores how gut health is evolving beyond probiotics into a broader innovation platform in food and beverages. It highlights key consumer drivers, emerging ingredients, and product opportunities shaping the growing “gut health hub.”

Preventive health and longevity are the new status symbols — not luxury, not wealth.
The real question is whether the food industry is ready to lead this shift or will remain trapped in legacy models. What opportunities exist to move fast and own a place in consumers’ emerging lifestyles? And, more importantly, what will be the kryptonite — the strategic blind spots that could make today’s winners irrelevant tomorrow?

LUXE Collection – Gourmet Honey is Alemany’s gourmet line, featuring pure honey blended with premium ingredients. Small formats designed to deliver an intense and sophisticated experience in every spoonful.

Alemany 1879 and GrillCo join forces to create Honey with Vitamin B12: a natural boost for your well-being. Designed for diets low in B12, it contributes to normal energy metabolism and helps reduce fatigue.

From Esti Foods, we are committed to food innovation, addressing the evolution of healthy snacking through current consumer trends. Our overnight oats combine convenience, nutrition and taste, offering variety, vegan-friendly options and new High Protein references, designed to meet what consumers are looking for today: wellbeing, convenience and enjoyment.

We will explain the collaboration between Chocolates Torras and Realfooding through the launch of a new generation of chocolates made with real ingredients, with no added sugars or sweeteners, responding to current consumer trends. We will highlight how the creative process, an innovative formula, and a shared vision come together to shape the chocolate of tomorrow.

Discover the strategic trends that will define the evolution of food retail in 2026, and get inspired by a journey through the sector's most innovative and representative initiatives globally.

Mental and cognitive health is one of the major challenges of the 21st century, worsened by ageing and current lifestyles. This talk examines the role of nutrition in Brain Health and how to turn scientific evidence into measurable criteria for developing functional foods and ingredients. Eurecat will present tools and projects integrating in vitro models and human studies to assess efficacy and reduce risks in innovation.

A conversation on the impact of fake news in the food sector and its effects on reputation, competitiveness and consumer trust. Based on the report “Health, Food and Fake News,” the session will explore the causes of misinformation, its consequences for the sector and the most effective strategies to anticipate and respond to these crises.

How can challenges be turned into opportunities to create innovative foods? This panel discussion will bring together leading companies to share real-life experiences in new product development, addressing technological, organisational and regulatory barriers. Collaboration, creativity and agility will be highlighted as key drivers to accelerate innovation in the food of the future.

Latest innovations and trends in the avocado market, and the role that Trops is developing as one of the leading players in the European market.

In a market where consumers alternate between extreme austerity and selective gratification, understanding this new hybrid behavior is key. Discover how pricing architecture, mini formats, and "little luxuries" are redefining profitability and how to anticipate these changes to lead successfully in 2026.

‘De Cerca’ celebrates its second edition on March 25 at 10:15 AM at the Auditorium – The Alimentaria Hub (Pavilion 5), during Alimentaria Barcelona. With free entry upon prior registration, the event will give a platform to women executives in the meat industry to share their experiences and discuss key sector challenges such as innovation, sustainability, and generational transition, in a space for professional exchange and reflection.

Is food processing a problem… or part of the solution?
From the discovery of fire to today’s food innovation, processing has been essential to food safety, availability and quality. This talk offers a critical, evidence-based perspective on processed and ultra-processed foods, debunking common myths and exploring how food processing can be an ally in developing healthier, more sustainable and appealing food products.

“To share the shopper’s perspective on innovation in the FMCG sector and, together with industry companies, reflect on the challenges and best practices needed to drive growth based on relevant innovation.”

Diseases will have a decisive impact on the production of meat and meat products, creating situations that could profoundly disrupt the value chain. In this panel, we will analyse the alternatives available to address these threats: from strengthening biosecurity measures and maintaining sanitary regionalisation to limit the impact of crises, to reducing production in order to rebalance the market.

In this talk, we will analyze the development of functional foods, their impact on the industry, and the challenges of turning science into competitive value propositions.

This insightful presentation, offers an exclusive glimpse into the future of the industry. Dive deep into the latest market and consumer trends as we highlight the breakthrough directions and innovations set to transform the food and beverage world in 2026 and beyond. This presentation will empower you with the forward-thinking insights you need to stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly evolving landscape.

We will explore how the new generation of analogues overcomes the limitations of plant-based products. We will present innovations based on lemna, single-cell proteins and in vitro cultivated meat—technologies that unlock new possibilities in taste, texture and sustainability, offering more efficient and attractive alternatives for the food industry.

Focusing on agri-food chain regulations, it will particularly focus on the future revision of the UTP Directive.

Roundtable on the new Law on the Prevention of Food Loss and Waste, including the presentation of FIAB’s guidance documents. The event will feature an institutional opening by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, a presentation by Instituto Cerdá, and a dialogue panel with experts from FIAB, Instituto Cerdá, Nestlé and the Barcelona Food Bank

The spread of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss has gained momentum worldwide, including in Spain, which continues to surprise. At Lantern, we believe that the growth in the number of users and their changing habits opens up opportunities for many food brands.

Fishology Foods creates the first sea charcuterie, reinventing traditional cured products made 100% from fish. Led by Michelin-starred chef Riccardo Radice, it has developed over 30 products such as Sea Chorizo and Sea Sobrasada. It reduces fish waste from 54% to 3%, promotes circular economy and opens new markets with a healthy, sustainable and innovative concept.

Laia Vergés, Head of R&D at Zyrcular Foods, and Mónica Orasan, from Business Development, will present the company’s latest innovations under the Amara Green brand: Amara Pro Bites, plant-based balls with prebiotics and vitamin B12, and the Amara Green Burger, a vegetable burger with mycoprotein—two sustainable, convenient proposals aligned with today’s flexitarian consumer.

Innovation is essential in the food sector, yet achieving real, measurable impact remains a challenge. In this session, I will present The Strategic Innovation Wheel, a framework we use at Idilia that connects strategy, creativity and execution through six cyclical dimensions powered by talent, leadership and culture. I will share key learnings from practice and some recent examples that illustrate its impact, such as Nocilla Bars or ColaCao Crispy Rocks!

We will present the Barometer prepared by AECOC and Phenix on food use in households and review the obligations and challenges posed by the Law on the Prevention and Reduction of Food Waste, which will enter into force in April.

We will address how to anticipate the main food safety challenges through data-driven approaches, digitalisation and a preventive mindset. We will explore AI as a tool and present SEALI-Hub, an AINIA initiative designed to help food companies detect, assess and prevent risks, strengthening market confidence.