At the beginning of 2024, Acemia presented the 7 challenges of the food industry for the year ahead, reflecting the major transformations underway in the sector. One year later, these issues remain highly relevant. Some have seen notable progress, others remain unresolved or have even intensified. In this article, we compare the situation in 2024 with that of 2025 to better understand how the sector is evolving.
In 2024, growing consumer expectations around environmental issues were pushing manufacturers to rethink their practices. Initiatives were underway but not yet widely implemented.
In 2025, these commitments have turned into concrete actions: eco-design, waste reduction, and energy optimization. At Acemia, this is reflected in the integration of solutions such as Clean-in-Place (CIP) systems, material loss reduction, and lower energy consumption.
In 2024, the link between climate disruption and food production was acknowledged but remained difficult to incorporate into industrial decision-making.
In 2025, the effects are now clearly visible: variability in raw materials, disrupted harvests, and supply tensions. This reinforces the need for more flexible production lines. Acemia responds to this shift with systems designed to adapt to variations in product types and processing speeds.
In 2024, the aftermath of the health crisis exposed the weaknesses of certain global supply chains. Resilience became a central concern.
In 2025, manufacturers are turning to shorter circuits, local partners, and greater automation. Acemia’s smart conveying and handling systems support this drive for secure flows and operational fluidity.
In 2024, food safety remained a top priority, with growing expectations around traceability and hygiene.
In 2025, regulations are becoming stricter, and safety is now a selling point. Acemia designs hygienic equipment that is easy to clean, ensuring high standards without compromising production efficiency.
In 2024, demand was growing for plant-based, organic, local, and allergen-free products.
In 2025, these trends are not only confirmed but accelerating. This requires greater flexibility in recipes, formats, and packaging. Acemia offers modular, ergonomic solutions that can handle highly diverse product ranges.
In 2024, AI, IoT, and connected traceability generated increasing interest but were rarely implemented in practice.
In 2025, pilot projects are beginning to emerge, especially in predictive maintenance and flow management. Acemia is preparing for seamless integration of these technologies into its lines—without making them harder to use.
In 2024, recruitment tensions—especially for technical roles—posed a major challenge.
In 2025, the shortage continues. While automation is expanding, it must be paired with targeted training and easy-to-use tools. Acemia designs its equipment to simplify the daily work of operators: ergonomic, intuitive, and easy to maintain.
One year after our initial overview, the 7 challenges of the food industry are still very much present. But they are evolving, becoming clearer, and leading to real solutions. At Acemia, we support this transformation every day by designing production lines that meet the demands of today—and tomorrow.