südback 2026: How Digitalization, New Technology, and Food Trends Are Changing the Baking Craft
Digitalization, staff shortages, and changed consumer habits pose new challenges to bakeries and pastry shops. At the same time, new business opportunities arise, from modern snack concepts to coffee and convenience to automated production and administrative processes. From October 24 to October 27, 2026, südback will bring these developments together in Stuttgart. Around 560 exhibitors will present products, technology, and services for the baking and confectionery craft on about 60,000 square meters.
The offering ranges from raw materials and baking ingredients to machinery and production technology, to shop design, packaging, cashier systems, and sales promotion. The exhibition is complemented by trend forums, live demonstrations, competitions, and professional events.
Digitalization is meant to ease daily operations
The fact that digitalization now goes far beyond cashier systems is demonstrated by the südback Trend Award 2026. Pentacode AG receives a special award for digital solutions for its AI-supported HR platform Yna. The application assists bakery operations in scheduling, time tracking, and personnel management. Questions about personnel costs, absences, or schedules can be asked and evaluated in natural language. Especially for branch operations with rotating shifts and many employees, such applications can become interesting. The promise: not just additional data, but less administrative effort and faster decisions in daily operations.
Automation reaches the bakery
In the technology category of the südback Trend Award 2026, Bongard is awarded for the Spiral Evo Smart kneading machine. Integrated scales, automatic water dosing, and temperature sensors are meant to ensure reproducible dough results. Up to 99 recipes can be stored. This example stands for a development that is noticeably gaining momentum in the craft industry: Automation is meant to take over standardizable processes and relieve employees, not to replace expertise. In repetitive production steps, intelligent machines can help keep quality consistent, independent of the operator or time of day.
Snacks, Coffee and Chocolate Expand the Business
At the Confectioner's Trend Forum, modern snack concepts, merchandise presentation, coffee specialties, and chocolate creations are on the agenda. International confectionery professionals demonstrate techniques involving chocolate, desserts, and Italian patisserie. The Baker's Trend Forum focuses on practical demonstrations and new recipe ideas throughout all four days of the fair. Experts from the Württembergische Bäckerfachschule, the Akademie Deutsches Bäckerhandwerk, and other industry experts showcase applications for daily work. Additional formats include: the Pizza Area, a Barista School, and the Roastery Village. The südback event thus addresses business fields that extend beyond the classic bread and cake assortment.
Trend Award Indicates Where the Industry is Investing
The südback Trend Award will be presented for the 15th time in 2026. The official award ceremony takes place on October 24 at 9:30 AM during the opening of the fair. Innovations in marketing, sales, and organization, raw materials and convenience, technology, and digital solutions are recognized. Among the winners are Pentacode's AI application and Bongard's smart dough mixer, a multi-use transport container by Ringoplast, and a French butter-caramel product line by BÄKO-ZENTRALE. The range illustrates that innovation in the baking industry is occurring on various levels: in logistics and personnel as well as in production and assortment. The professional audience can also choose a favorite among the nominated innovations again.
The Craftsmanship Remains Central Despite New Technology
Beside new technologies, traditional crafts skills continue to play a pivotal role. At the Carlo-Wildt-Pokal, confectioners compete under the motto 'Magic of Craftsmanship'. Taste, design, and craft precision are decisive for the evaluation. The competition will occur for the 16th time in 2026. It places side by side two trends that are currently not always smoothly compatible within the industry: Digital applications and modern machines are meant to make processes more efficient. However, product quality, craft skills, and new assortment ideas will determine how companies assert themselves with customers. The südback 2026 will take place from October 24 to 27 at the Messe Stuttgart venue, daily from 9 AM to 6 PM. For trade visitors, it should be particularly interesting to see how new technologies integrate into existing businesses. Whether AI in personnel management, smart production technology, or new snack and sales concepts: ultimately, it is not what impresses at the fair that counts, but what works economically in daily operations afterwards.