There’s no shortage of pressure on Australian food manufacturers right now — ageing infrastructure, labour constraints, escalating sustainability mandates, and the relentless case for automation against constrained capital budgets. What’s harder to find is one place to tackle all of it.
That’s what foodpro delivers. Australia’s only major processing and packaging trade event in 2026, foodpro returns to the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre from 26–29 July 2026 with 400+ exhibitors across processing equipment, packaging, digital manufacturing, ingredients and sustainability. Attending gives you four days of access that would take months to replicate through individual supplier meetings.
See it running. Make the call.
For production and plant managers, the value is straightforward: equipment evaluated under realistic conditions, with engineers on hand to discuss specs, integration requirements and total cost of ownership. The Demonstration Exchange extends this further with live processing equipment in operation. When a purchasing decision carries a six-to-twelve-month lead time and significant capital commitment, that matters.
From roadmap to reality
The Intelligent & Digital Factories segment addresses the hard part of digital transformation — integrating modern automation with legacy equipment, building the business case, finding partners who understand food-grade requirements. AI inspection, IoT networks and predictive maintenance platforms are all presented in the context of food manufacturing, supported by Innovation Stage sessions from industry leaders already seeing measurable impact.
Sustainability that works commercially
Retailer sustainability requirements have moved from aspiration to specification. The AIP partnership brings structured training, regulatory guidance and access to PIDA Award-winning packaging innovations — with a focus on solutions that balance environmental targets against operational reality.
foodpro 2026. 26–29 July, MCEC Melbourne. Free registration at https://foodproexpo.com/register/?utm_source=partner_site&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=fp_vp_manumonthly_digitaleditorial_may_2026&utm_content=divcom