The inaugural ProFood Tech show took place April 4–6 at McCormick Place in Chicago. The event, supported by PMMI and Koelnmesse—producers of the Anuga and Anuga FoodTech events in Germany—showcases the latest food industry innovations and technologies.

ProFood Tech 2017 attracted just under 450 exhibitors and 6,500 attendees, with just under 1,000 of those attendees arriving from an international location.

In addition to exploring the latest innovations on the trade show floor, ProFood Tech seeks to prepare manufacturers for market changes across the food industry and broaden attendee knowledge of technological and other advances, best practices and trends across the food industry through educational opportunities.

In the opening keynote general session, renowned NFL quarterback Peyton Manning discussed leadership strategies for success and how to motivate corporate teams in an inspirational address. Other general sessions starred thought leaders from Nestlé, General Mills, The Hershey Co., The Kraft Heinz Co., Google, FDA, USDA, FMI, Mintel.

The education program included four education tracks:

• Regulations and Food Safety
• Consumer Trends and Marketing
• Food Processing and Technology
• Business and Leadership Development

Each track provided a wide range of sessions offering informational resources to grow businesses and bolster best practices.

The ProFood Tech Innovation Stage also brought several education opportunities directly to the show floor, covering topics like:

• Best practices for hygienic operations
• Improving sustainability
• Cold-chain compliance
• Dealing with labor shortages
• Streamlining automation
• Product labeling solutions
• Improving operational efficiency

Another aspect of the ProFood Tech experience was the Regulatory Matters Stage, featuring presentations on critical regulatory matters like “Communicating During a Food Safety Crisis,” “Deconstructing FSMA Rules,” “Constructing a FSMA Food Safety Plan and Building an Action Plan” and “Combustible Dust Mitigation in Food Manufacturing.” The sessions were followed by interactive discussions, giving attendees the opportunity to share ideas and practical best practices.

ProFood Tech is scheduled to take place every two years in Chicago, with the next event scheduled for late March 2019.

For more information, visit http://www.profoodtech.com.