The Alimentaria Hub

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.

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.

The Spanish omelet, the smash burger, and pasta are global icons in the world of gastronomy. In Spain, these three niches are clearly led by three players who have reached the pinnacle of success thanks to their quality products, a premium brand experience, and innovative strategies in which social media has played a decisive role.

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.

Leading companies in the agri-food sector that are part of the Sustainable Food Systems initiative —a working group driven by Forética aiming to contribute to the sustainable transformation of food systems through private-sector leadership— will share the measures they are implementing to generate positive social impact in communities, consumers, and their employees.

In this session, the organizations will demonstrate what it means to lead by example, showcasing the results and positive impacts already being achieved for people’s well-being.

Global food systems face the challenge of balancing regulations, economics, production, health, and culture. Decisions impact the environment, business competitiveness and social well-being. The challenge is to move toward more sustainable and healthy models without sacrificing accessibility, cultural diversity, or economic value, through innovation, science, and cooperation. ALIMENTARIA's 50th anniversary invites reflection.

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

Step into the fast-moving world of functional food and beverage innovation as we explore today’s key consumer health concerns and how brands are responding. We’ll spotlight the health areas gaining momentum, the claims shaping purchase decisions, and the ingredients driving product development, from evolving protein and fiber to the next wave of functional ingredients.

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?

GLP-1 receptor agonists such as Ozempic have transformed the treatment of obesity, also reshaping the relationship with food by suppressing appetite and creating new nutritional challenges. In this context, the food industry has the opportunity to contribute to the well-being of people undergoing treatment with these drugs, helping to sustain their benefits, mitigate side effects, and meet new nutritional needs.

Open and interactive conference with an initial presentation by the speaker, followed by an interactive talk and session.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Get ready to shape the next wave of food and beverage innovation with the Global Flavor Trends 2026 presentation. Discover five critical, consumer- and market-driven flavor trends set to define the year ahead. Gain actionable insights, real-world examples, and inspiration to support product development, marketing, and strategic innovation.

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.