EATS (the Equipment, Automation & Technology Show for Food & Beverage) returns to McCormick Place, October 28–30, with a dramatically expanded lineup of immersive, on-floor attractions. With three fully-functional production lines, a brand-new feature – EATS Kitchen, dynamic sector stages, and the much-anticipated Innovation Awards, this year’s event invites attendees to see, taste, learn, and connect in ways never before possible. 

“We are so excited to welcome the industry to this inaugural EATS edition.  EATS 2025 is engineered to bring every dimension of food and beverage manufacturing to the floor—not just in booths, but through live demonstrations,” said, Kristy Meade, vice president, technical events, Messe Frankfurt Inc. “From watching a fully automated production line, to seeing chefs experiment with scale in the EATS Kitchen or being among the first to celebrate breakthrough solutions at the Innovation Awards—this is a show that delivers actionable insight, sensory engagement, and direct access to the future of production.” 

With more than 300 exhibiting companies representing the full food and beverage ecosystem—from processing and packaging to robotics, inspection, and automation—EATS 2025 is a one-stop destination for sourcing solutions and building partnerships. 

New for 2025, the Software Pavilion will spotlight the digital technologies transforming manufacturing efficiency, traceability, and production intelligence. Attendees will discover innovations in MES, ERP, AI-driven quality control, and predictive maintenance— all designed to help producers achieve greater flexibility, transparency, and throughput. 

EATS 2025 is the only North American trade event where attendees can see fully functional production lines running live on the show floor—from raw ingredients to finished, packaged goods. 

•  Sliced Pepperoni Line (Managed/Sponsored by Epstein): Demonstrates high-speed slicing, portioning, and packaging for protein production. 
• Blueberry Danish Line (Managed/Sponsored by Dennis Group): A complete bakery process—from mixing and proofing to filling, baking, and wrapping. 
• Fresh Pet Food Line (Managed/Sponsored by Gray AES): Focuses on the growing fresh pet food category with full-scale processing and packaging operations. 

Each line integrates real OEM equipment, giving visitors a rare opportunity to observe end-to-end workflow, ask process questions, and compare technologies side-by-side.  

The brand-new EATS Kitchen blends culinary creativity with production know-how, bringing top chefs and technologists together for live demos and discussions. 

Celebrity appearances include Jeff Mauro, Rick Bayless, Dominique Leach, and McCullough Kelly-Willis, who will demonstrate how recipes scale from kitchen to commercial line while exploring ingredient functionality, texture management, and 

packaging innovations. The Kitchen’s daily sessions will deliver insight into both R&D and operations teams seeking to translate culinary trends into manufacturable products. 

The EATS Innovation Awards Ceremony—held Tuesday, October 28, celebrates groundbreaking advances across processing, packaging, automation, ingredients, and sustainability. 

Finalists will showcase their technologies live before winners are announced across multiple categories, including Best New Product, Most Sustainable Solution, and Breakthrough Automation or Processing Technology. Attendees can engage directly with innovators shaping the industry’s next wave. 

At EATS 2025, two dynamic Sector Stages—The Sweet Spot and The Beverage Spot—bring product innovation and production expertise to life. The Sweet Spot explores the latest in sweet goods, snacks, and confectionery, with chefs and food technologists leading live demos and discussions on clean-label reformulation, texture and flavor optimization, novel sweeteners, and scale-up strategies.

Meanwhile, The Beverage Spot dives into trends and technologies shaping the fast-evolving drink sector, from functional and low-/no-sugar formulations to automation in bottling, processing, and packaging. Together, these stages deliver fresh insights, practical takeaways, and direct access to the industry experts driving innovation across two of the most dynamic segments in food and beverage manufacturing.  

Attendees can also participate in: 

• Food for Thought, a series of complimentary, classroom-style presentations held right on the show floor, focusing on the ideas and technologies that are driving the future. Topics include workforce best practices, continuous improvement strategies, R&D innovations, and business methods—designed so both exhibitors and attendees walk away with fresh perspectives.  
•  The FPSA Women’s Alliance Network Breakfast, featuring Red Circle Honors presentations and keynote, Julie Camardo, CEO of Zweigle’s.  Happening on Oct. 29, this signature breakfast will also honor women leaders advancing the industry. Recipients in 2025 include Melissa Reinhart (Rising Star), Mary Mooney (Career Excellence), Elizabeth Cobb (Innovation & Inspiration), Matt Jones (Male Ally), and Esther Codina (Achievement in Developing Women).
• In the Food Safety Training, hosted by the Commercial Food Sanitation and the Meat Institute, attendees will learn best practices for contamination prevention, allergen control, and system design optimization through a hybrid format of classroom learnings and an up-close look at the production lines—ensuring food safety and hygienic design are synonymous. 

“We are excited to welcome the food & beverage industry to EATS this month. At FPSA, our commitment has always been to strengthen and advance every segment of the food and beverage industry,” said Chris Lyons, president of the Food Production Solutions Association (FPSA). “With EATS, we’re creating a platform that connects the entire supply chain—processors, suppliers, engineers, and innovators—to exchange ideas, adopt new technologies, and move the industry forward together. This event embodies the collaboration and continuous improvement that defines the FPSA community.”  

About the Food Processing Suppliers Association
The Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA) is a global trade association serving suppliers in the food and beverage industries. The Association's programs and services support members’ success by providing assistance in marketing their products and services, overall improvement in key business practices and many opportunities to network among industry colleagues. Programs and services to achieve these objectives include PROCESS EXPO (industry leading trade show), electronic media marketing, education, market intelligence, research, and advocation of critical industry issues such as food safety, sanitary design of equipment, and global trade. FPSA members are organized in vertical industry councils which focus on specific needs and concerns that are unique to each industry sector. FPSA councils currently represent the Bakery, Beverage, Dairy, Pet Food, Prepared Foods and Meat sectors.