Anuga 2025 is kick off on October 4 for a five-day run in Cologne, Germany. As usual, frozen food product innovation was high profile at the biennial event.
Within the confines of the sprawling Koelnmesse exhibition center, Anuga Frozen Food, one of the ten trade shows under the Anuga umbrella and the world’s largest trade fair for the frozen food industry, will be bigger than ever. With more than 650 exhibitors signed up, the number of registrations was at a record level. Especially noteworthy is that 93 percent of the exhibitors hailed from beyond the host country, which underscores the global significance of the show. Among companies on the scene in Cologne were major players of the industry, including Ardo, Lutosa and Greenyard Frozen from Belgium, Schne-Frost from Germany, Surgital and Roncadin of Italy, Scelta and GoodLife Foods/Izico from the Netherlands, Chi Mei Frozen Food and Young Sun Frozen Foods of Taiwan, and Givrex from Egypt.
International group stands lent added value to Anuga Frozen Food and underlined its global character. The strong demand is not only reflected in the number of exhibitors, but also in expanded space made available by organizers to accommodate companies. The halls of Anuga Frozen Food were fully-booked at an early stage due to requirements from many repeat customers. In order to create more space, part of the Fine Food space in Hall 4.1 was opened up to frozen food – around 400 square meters more than in 2023.
“Tiefkühl-Star” Award
One of the highlights of the trade fair was the presentation of the “Tiefkühl-Star” Award, which is jointly conferred by the German Frozen Food Institute (dti) and Lebensmittel Praxis. The prize honors companies for particularly innovative products, high quality and market-oriented concepts.
Parallel to this, the Frozen! dti Innovation Award 2025, supported by AFC Consulting Group and Anuga, distinguishes innovations from the frozen food industry every two years. Under the theme “Frozen Food Meets Future – Into the Food World of the Future with Frozen Products,” the competition recognizes outstanding retail frozen food departments that drive the market forward and fulfill future-oriented demands. To commemorate 70 years of frozen food in Germany, three teams pitched live in front of a jury and audience on October 7.
International Frozen Food Conference
For the first time, the International Frozen Food Network (IFFN) and the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) are joining forces to host the International Food Conference during Anuga. The event focuused on food security, sustainable logistics and the future of the international frozen food market.
Booming Frozen Food Market
According to current market analyses, such as those conducted by Anuga’s market research partner Euromonitor, the global frozen food sector will achieve stable growth in the mid-single-digit percentage range by 2030. Europe remains the leading region with a market share of around two-fifths in terms of value, while the Asia-Pacific region is the most dynamic growth region thanks to the expansion of modern cold chains. China is particularly noteworthy, as above-average growth is expected there.
Several structural factors are stimulating demand: the desire for convenience (e.g. ready meals, quick preparation using air fryers), flexible portion sizes, increasing price awareness and greater appreciation of the sustainability benefits of frozen products. Even after the COVID-19 pandemic, market penetration and frequency of use remain above pre-pandemic levels. In food retail, categories such as ready meals, pizza, vegetables, potato products/snacks, seafood, baked goods and desserts are driving growth.
