drinktec 2025: numbers, focus topics and visions for the upcoming edition.
Technology sustainability and new beverage trends. Here’s what to expect from one of the most anticipated events in the industry.
Only a few months remain until the official opening of drinktec 2025, scheduled to take place from 15 to 19 September at the Messe München exhibition center in Munich.
General Manager of BD Expo
The event returns with its usual four-year cycle and reclaims its position as a central hub for the global beverage and liquid food technology industries, drawing companies and visitors from all over the world.
Ahead of the show, we spoke with Davide Galli, General Manager of the Official Italian Representation of YONTEX, and a key figure in coordinating the Italian presence at the fair.
Our conversation quickly moved beyond numbers and logistics, offering deeper insight into the role of Italy and the key themes shaping this highly anticipated edition.
Davide, let’s begin with Italy’s role. What kind of presence can we expect this year in Munich?
As always, Italy will have a very strong presence. With pride, I can say that Italy has consistently been the second-largest exhibiting country after Germany.
As of April 2025, we already have 118 Italian exhibitors confirmed, occupying about one-quarter of the total net exhibition area.
Of course, these figures are expected to grow over the coming months and they clearly reflect how essential the Italian offering has become to drinktec.
That’s no surprise, considering the strength of Italian technology in the sector.
Exactly, Sonia. It’s not just about quantity. It’s about the quality and depth of what’s on offer. Italian companies bring innovation, advanced solutions and solid industrial know-how.
We’re talking about filling technologies, packaging, components, materials and intelligent systems. Visitors to drinktec quickly realize that Italy is a key player in this landscape.
Let’s talk about content. What are the main themes for this edition?
This year we’re focusing on three major thematic pillars.
The first is data acquisition and management, so how to collect, analyze and transform data into real value, with efficiency and traceability in mind.
The second is sustainability, which continues to be a key driver in the beverage sector. This includes the reuse of raw materials, energy savings and waste reduction.
The third theme concerns new beverage categories, with a focus on health-oriented, functional drinks that support both physical and mental wellbeing.
That means new ingredients, new flavors and innovative packaging solutions aligned with emerging consumer trends.
So, this is clearly an edition looking toward the future. What are your expectations on the international front?
The international component is growing, among both exhibitors and visitors.
In 2022, 70% of the 50,000 visitors came from abroad, and all signs point to this trend not only continuing but potentially increasing. Interest in drinktec is high, and its global relevance grows stronger with each edition.
And then there’s Munich, a city that offers so much beyond the business side of things.
Absolutely, Sonia. Munich is a city rich in every sense, culturally, architecturally and socially. Beyond the local traditions, parks and historical buildings, it offers a thriving cultural and artistic scene. Just think of the modern art gallery, or the brand-new contemporary art museum, which is worth visiting for the architecture alone. Those attending drinktec can take advantage of their time in the city to explore an exceptional artistic heritage. The cultural energy of Munich perfectly matches the atmosphere of the show.
The programme for drinktec 2025 promises to be rich in technical content and forward-looking insights, reaffirming the international importance of the fair and the strategic role of Italian technologies within it.
With Italy once again showing strong, structured participation, the event is poised to reflect the key directions of the beverage industry and the entire value chain, from alcoholic to non-alcoholic sectors.
From process digitalization to sustainability, right through to the evolution of products and consumption habits, drinktec 2025 will be more than a trade fair, it will be a snapshot of a sector in transformation, capturing both its complexity and its ambition.
The appointment, therefore, is at drinktec 2025, to discover all the innovations that the world of the beverage and liquid food industry has to offer.
