Innovation meets craftsmanship
Bakeries and confectioners are currently faced with a wide range of both opportunities and challenges – and this is exactly where INTERNORGA 2026 comes in. ‘The baking and confectionery trade is undergoing a transformation between tradition, sustainability and a digital future. INTERNORGA is the place where these topics come together, effective ideas take shape and valuable partnerships are formed,’ says Bettina Schliephake-Burchardt, President of the German Confectioners’ Association and judge of the Sat.1 TV show ‘Das große Backen’ (The Great Bake Off). INTERNORGA 2026 offers innovative ideas, fresh impetus and practical solutions for bakeries and confectioners throughout its exhibition halls, in inspiring stage formats and with exciting networking opportunities.
Snacks as growth drivers
Quick, tasty snacks remain the number one sales driver, as confirmed by the YouGov Shopper Panel 2025. While bread consumption is declining, snacks are really taking off – especially in the to-go sector. Consumers’ desire for greater freshness, variety and conscious enjoyment is already evident in many product ranges: bowls, salads, healthy drinks such as smoothies and the like are increasingly joining classic baked goods. ‘Snacks today are much more than just a quick bite between meals: they represent a promising opportunity and demonstrate the creativity and innovative power of the baking and confectionery trade,’ says Katja Trieschmann, Team Leader for Germany at the YouGov Shopper Panel. Exhibitors including ARYZTA and Vandemoortele demonstrate how the trend is developing and the ways in which companies are creating new taste experiences with a greater variety of snacks: plant-based snack ideas with a global twist, ready-to-bake mini breads or pastries with trendy grains, soft oat varieties and new baking essentials with clean, halal or vegan labels. In addition, there are energy-packed to-go cakes, handy portion sizes and creative recipes with no artificial additives. The future of baking is fresh, innovative and simple – and it can be experienced at INTERNORGA.
Digitalisation as a game changer
In addition to product diversity, digital solutions are also driving the baking industry forward – from smart POS systems and ordering solutions to AI-supported sales forecasts and efficient enterprise resource planning systems. Contactless payment via smartphone or smartwatch has also long since become a standard method, while e-learning and cloud-based applications simplify organisation within a business. Companies such as Lightspeed and 42 GmbH will be providing practical live demonstrations at INTERNORGA 2026 of how digital innovations are making bakeries and confectioners fit for the future.
Inspire, network, hit the ground running
Um Digitalisierung, aber auch um weitere zukunftsrelevante Themen wie neue Geschäftsmodelle, Gewinnung und Bindung von Mitarbeitenden geht es auf Bühnen wie der OPEN STAGE. Spannende Diskussionen, Best-Practice-Cases und Talks bieten inspirierende Impulse für Bäckerinnen und Bäcker, Konditorinnen und Konditoren. Networking-Areas wie die Meeting- und Afterwork-Lounge OFF THE RECORD und das Café Future Live ermöglichen wertvollen Austausch mit Gleichgesinnten, sowohl mit bekannten Gesichtern als auch neuen Kontakten. „Nach der INTERNORGA fahre ich jedes Mal mit frischen Ideen und einem guten Gefühl nach Hause. Hier sieht man, wie lebendig unser Handwerk ist – egal ob kleiner Familienbetrieb oder große Bäckereikette. Und man merkt: Wenn wir zusammenhalten, kriegen wir jede Herausforderung gestemmt“, so Jochen Meyer, selbstständiger Bäcker- und Konditormeister.
About INTERNORGA
Digitalisation will be among the topics discussed on stages such as the OPEN STAGE, as will other future-relevant topics, including new business models and attracting and retaining employees. Exciting discussions, best practice cases and talks will provide inspiring ideas for bakers and confectioners. Networking areas such as the OFF THE RECORD meeting and afterwork lounge and Café Future live make valuable interaction with like-minded people, both familiar faces and new contacts, possible. ‘After INTERNORGA, I always go home with fresh ideas and feeling good. It shows you how vibrant our sector is – whether it’s a small family business or a large chain of bakeries. And you realise that if we stick together, we can overcome any challenge,’ says Jochen Meyer, an independent master baker and confectioner.
Further information can be found on the website www.internorga.com and on the INTERNORGA LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook social media channels.
Press material for download: hmc.canto.de/b/U78LB
Press releases: https://www.internorga.com/en/infos/press/press-releases
