At the international processing and packaging event scheduled at Fiera Milano, Milan’s exhibition centre, from 27 to 30 May 2025, manufacturers of top-end technologies will meet with end users to explore the trends revolving around the world of liquid food and beverages. We are talking about a variegated universe of products that includes soft drinks, milk produced for direct consumption, soft drinks, mineral waters, beers, wines and spirits, functional and energy drinks, juices, baby drinks and infant food, as well as soups, oils, dressings, and sauces.

An overview of packaging data

To give you a snapshot of the world of packaging machinery for the liquid food and beverage sector, the global market is worth 14.9 billion euro and records an average annual growth rate of +2.9%. For the 2023-2027 period, focusing on the best performing countries, USA is in the lead – with a market value of 4.6 billion euro – followed by China at 2.2 billion euro, and Germany – which is worth 1.15 billion euro alone-, and then Japan with business amounting to 1.10 billion euro. Coming in fifth, the turnover for Italy is also significant, totalling 0.6 billion euro. The markets offering the highest growth potential are Singapore (+12.9%), Hungary (+9.4%), Bulgaria (+9.1).

The processing industry

Moving on to processing and preparation machinery, this segment is forecast to reach 23 billion euro worldwide by the end of 2024, with an average estimated growth rate of +5.5%. The leading markets include Germany, Italy, and the USA, followed by France, Switzerland, and Spain (source: Ucima/Mecs).

Focus on production

Global production of beverages and liquid food is expected to reach over € 1,600 billion by the end of 2024, with a forecast growth of +4.7%. Heading up the ranks is the USA with 218.9 billion euro, followed by Germany with 53.3 billion euro, France with 46.2 billion euro, and Italy with 40.9 billion euro. Finally, the following countries offer the highest growth potential for 2024: Ethiopia (+21%), Nigeria (+16%), and Turkey (+13%) (source: Ucima/Mecs -2001/2024 data).

The ideal place for business in the liquid food and beverages world: visitors
Over 4,000 traders specifically from the liquid food and beverages segment flocked to the IPACK-IMA 2022. As well as numerous foreign buyers and end users, visitors also included world-leading multinational brands such as Bacardi, Lactalis, Campari, Coca Cola, Heineken, Refresco, Nestlè, Unilever, and many more.

This year, highly specialist visitors will be given the opportunity to explore the latest technology offerings including filtering systems, filling, rinsing, and blowing machinery, sterilisation plants, labelling machines, as well as capping lines and end-of-line solutions. There will also be a focus on packaging materials, for which the industry is committed to finding new, environmentally responsible applications.

Leading names already confirmed

Among the leading companies in the industry, many established businesses have already chosen IPACK-IMA to unveil their new products and technology solutions, including the following high-calibre names: ACR, Arol, Crocco, Easysnap Technology, Della Toffola, DVP Vacuum Technology, FBR Elpo, FT System, Giordan, Ing. Rossi, Ocme, Omnia Packaging, OMS Group, Smipack, Tenco.