Around 450 industry leaders discussed innovation,sustainability, and collaboration in the global juice sector.

Brussels, 25 October 2024 - The Juice Summit 2024, held in Antwerp on 16-17 October, concluded with great success, bringing together around 450 participants from around the world. Jointly organized by AIJN (European Fruit Juice Association), IFU (International Fruit and Vegetable Juice Association), and SGF International (SAFEGLOBAL-FAIR), this year’s summit once again reinforced its reputation as the premier global platform for the fruit juice and nectar industry. With dynamic discussions, insightful keynotes, and forward-looking sessions, the summit explored the critical challenges and opportunitiesshaping the future of the juice industry.

Key themes addressed during Juice Summit 2024

At the Juice Summit 2024, keynote speakers offered valuable insights into the industry's future. Elwin De Groot from RaboResearch addressed global economic challenges, emphasizing the need for innovation and adaptability. Following him, Elopak CEO Thomas Körmendi focused on the growing importance of sustainable packaging, urging the industry to make strategic, eco-friendly choices for long-term success. Following the keynotes, four panel discussions tackled key issues. The first a session focused on consumer behaviour, including an analysis of psychological drivers, particularly during times of crisis such as inflation and health concerns. Leaders shared actionable insights on how businesses can adapt to emerging consumer trends, providing fresh opportunities to revitalize product offerings and better meet evolving consumer needs. Another key issue addressed was the citrus greening disease affecting the orange industry in South America with consequences on availability and price. The session stressed the importance of collaborative efforts between growers, researchers, and industry stakeholdersto safeguard the future of orange juice production. Sustainability was another key theme at the summit, particularly during the session on the evolving Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, exploring how the juice sector can thrive in a circular economy, and analyzing both the challenges and opportunities presented by thisregulation. The final session took a broad view of emerging markets of apple juice production and global citrus industry trends. The summit ended with a presentation on building resilient food systems, outlining adaptive strategies for handling climate change, economic volatility, and global disruptionsin agriculture.

Looking ahead: a united industry for a sustainable future

The Juice Summit 2024 concluded with a strong emphasis on adaptability, innovation, and sustainability as critical drivers for the future of the juice industry. Kees Cools, President of IFU, remarked, “The Juice Summit offers a great information and dialogue platform to all segments of the global juice supply chain in support of solutions for the many challenges the industry faces today.” Joachim Tretzel, President of SGF, added, “The unique blend of commercial and technical subjects during the Juice Summit offers many opportunities to jointly exploit new routes to future success.” Javier Lorenzo, President of AIJN, echoed these sentiments, stating, “The future of the juice industry liesin our ability to work together,share knowledge, and drive innovation”.

The next edition of the Juice Summit is scheduled for early October 2025, before Anuga 2025, with further details to be announced in the coming months. For more information and to stay updated on future events, please visit The Juice Summit Website.