Announced by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency with support from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the regulatory update also introduces measures designed to streamline administrative processes.

The PGA described the extension as a meaningful development for Canada’s potato industry, reflecting the long timelines and investment required to breed, test and commercialize new potato varieties.

Potato breeding presents distinct challenges compared with many other crops, as seed potatoes must be multiplied over multiple years and rigorously evaluated before reaching commercial scale. Under the previous 20-year framework, breeders had a narrower period to recover research and development investment once varieties entered the market.

By extending protection to 25 years, the revised legislation is expected to improve the commercial incentive for breeders while potentially increasing competition and expanding access to new varieties for growers.

“These changes will help Alberta growers access better varieties adapting to changing growing conditions with increased disease resistance and marketable yield,” said Jake Hoogland of Hoogland Farms.

“This is an important step in keeping my farm competitive and sustainable for the future.”

The PGA said the longer protection period should help support innovation while improving growers’ access to varieties that can better respond to disease pressures, market demands and evolving production conditions.

According to the report, the temporary packaging adjustment will affect core SKUs including Potato Chips Lightly Salted and Consommé Punch, with Calbee already informing retailers of the upcoming shift. The move reflects how geopolitical instability is now extending beyond fuel and logistics into packaging substrate availability, creating direct operational implications for food manufacturers.

While the product itself remains unchanged, the packaging downgrade highlights the vulnerability of snack and food processors to upstream petrochemical disruptions. Naphtha plays a critical role not only in plastics production but also in inks and related packaging inputs, making shortages particularly relevant for high-volume consumer packaged goods manufacturers reliant on branded shelf presence.

Kyodo also cited an industry and consumer group survey released in late April indicating that more than 70% of around 100 respondent companies said they would likely raise prices if naphtha supply concerns continue. For potato processors and snack manufacturers, this points to potential dual pressure: packaging simplification in the short term and broader cost inflation if raw material tightness persists.

For the potato processing sector, Calbee’s response may serve as an early example of how manufacturers could prioritize production continuity over brand aesthetics when packaging inputs become constrained. The development also underscores how Middle East instability may increasingly affect downstream food sectors through less visible but operationally significant industrial material shortages.

According to Euronews, potato contracts for difference (CFDs) rose from approximately €2.11 per 100kg on 21 April to around €18.50 by early May — a roughly 705% increase. However, the outlet reported that these gains are unfolding against a backdrop of significant oversupply in Europe’s physical potato market, where expanded planting across major producing countries including Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Germany, combined with favourable weather, has resulted in exceptionally large harvests.

The report said this production surplus has left processors and exporters struggling to absorb available volumes, sharply depressing farmgate prices. In some lower-grade segments, potatoes destined for feed or industrial channels have reportedly traded at extremely low or even negative values, with growers sometimes paying disposal or transport costs simply to clear stock.

The cited €18.50 benchmark, according to the outlet, primarily reflects “free-buy” potatoes traded on the open market rather than volumes already protected by fixed-price contracts between growers and processors. Even at these elevated financial levels, many producers reportedly still view returns as economically unsustainable given rising input costs for fertiliser, fuel, electricity and storage.

The publication emphasised that the dramatic divergence between financial benchmarks and physical pricing illustrates how commodity markets can respond aggressively to perceived future risks rather than present supply realities. In this case, volatility appears closely linked to concerns over the Iran conflict’s impact on fertiliser availability, logistics and future agricultural production economics.

According to the report, the war has disrupted exports of key agricultural inputs and intensified broader food security concerns. The outlet cited UN estimates suggesting that roughly one-third of global fertiliser trade — including urea, potash, ammonia and phosphates — normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint now affected by regional instability.

For potato producers, whose crop economics are heavily dependent on nutrient-intensive fertilisation, this disruption raises concerns over future planting costs and yield potential. The report indicated that traders are repricing potato futures contracts based less on today’s oversupply and more on anticipated medium-term supply risks associated with fertiliser shortages and shipping disruption.

While current consumer potato prices in Europe are not yet seeing a comparable surge, the outlet suggested that the sharp movement in potato-linked CFDs reflects broader market anxiety over how conflict-driven fertiliser constraints and logistics bottlenecks could reshape agricultural economics in coming seasons.

The development underscores a widening disconnect between agricultural commodity derivatives and farm-level fundamentals — a dynamic that may become increasingly important for growers, processors and buyers navigating volatile input markets during a period of geopolitical instability.

The event will cover the potato value chain from breeding to processing, with trial fields, live machinery demonstrations, DLG Spotlights and expert presentations forming the core of the technical programme. Running alongside the exhibition will be SugarBeet Expo, a specialist trade fair dedicated to field technology and current trends in sugar beet cultivation.

Organizers said the event will provide an international meeting place for potato professionals from Germany and abroad, with companies active in breeding, crop protection, digitalization, agricultural machinery and processing expected to present new developments and production-oriented solutions. Demonstration plots will showcase new varieties as well as the effects of crop protection products and fertilizers.

Live machinery demonstrations will be staged under field conditions, covering planting, harvesting, loading and crop protection technologies. Case IH has been named as technology partner for the live demonstrations.

The DLG Spotlight “Agricultural Logistics” will address the role of transport in potato and sugar beet production. The feature will include tractors, specialized trailers, scraper floor systems, conveyor belts, potato boxes, cover systems and logistics software, alongside information on legal and economic aspects. Martin Vaupel of the Chamber of Agriculture Lower Saxony will be available to answer visitor questions.

A second DLG Spotlight, FarmRobotix, will focus on robotics, automation and artificial intelligence in crop production. Presented by DKE Data and DLG, the feature will include live demonstrations, practical guidance and expert discussions on autonomous machinery and digital systems in agriculture.

The DLG Expert Stage, located at stand VG15 in the trial field, will host presentations and discussions on potato and sugar beet topics between 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The programme will address both crop-specific and cross-crop issues.

Exhibitor registration remains open for PotatoEurope and SugarBeet Expo, with participation options available in the trial fields, machinery demonstrations, open-air exhibition area and exhibition tents.

PotatoEurope 2026 is initiated by the Union of the German Potato Industry, UNIKA. The regional partner is Golden Geest Kartoffeln Erzeugergesellschaft mbH, together with the State of Lower Saxony.

Under the agreement, Fertiberia will progressively supply PepsiCo with up to 150,000 tons of its Impact Zero crop nutrition products annually by 2030. According to the companies, this would be enough to cover approximately 400,000 acres, or around 162,000 hectares, of farmland used to grow potatoes, corn, sunflower, sugar beet and rapeseed.

The programme will initially launch in France, Romania, Serbia, Greece and Turkey, while expanding in Spain and Portugal. PepsiCo and Fertiberia said the initiative is expected to be rolled out to additional European countries in the near future.

The collaboration follows a pilot project in Spain and Portugal, where switching to Fertiberia’s low-carbon fertiliser reduced emissions by up to 15% in potato farming and by up to 20% in corn farming, according to the companies.

Fertiberia’s Impact Zero fertiliser is produced using green hydrogen instead of natural gas. The company says the product can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 63%. It also incorporates slow-release formulas and biological inhibitors designed to improve agronomic efficiency, support yields and reduce nutrient loss.

PepsiCo said fertiliser production and use currently account for around half of its average potato carbon footprint in Europe, making the category one of the main levers for reducing agricultural emissions. Together with existing supplier agreements, the Fertiberia collaboration is expected to bring the share of low-carbon fertiliser used in PepsiCo’s European supply chain to around 50% by 2030.

“We’re working to lead the way on regenerative agriculture and helping to build a more resilient agricultural supply chain. Switching to low-carbon fertiliser is one of the strongest levers we have to reduce agricultural emissions, and use of digital technology can complement this journey towards food system transformation. We’re excited by the success of our pilot in Spain and Portugal and look forward to scaling this ambitious partnership across Europe,” said Archana Jagannathan, Chief Sustainability Officer, PepsiCo Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

The two companies will also support farmers with technical guidance and digital tools, including precision agriculture technologies intended to optimise fertiliser application and track regenerative agriculture practices.

“Since 2022, we have been developing lower-carbon hydrogen-based fertilisers, powered by cutting-edge technology such as NSAFE, the world’s first bio-inhibitor of nitrification that prevents nitrogen losses and accelerates the transformation of European agriculture. Today, this journey takes on greater meaning thanks to the trust of partners like PepsiCo, with whom we are collaborating to help decarbonise agri-food value chains. This is not just about fertilisers – it’s about demonstrating the importance of collaboration and showing that innovation, when shared, can drive both climate action and food security across Europe,” said David Herrero, Chief Operating Officer at Fertiberia.

The agreement supports PepsiCo’s wider target to implement regenerative, restorative or protective practices across 10 million acres globally by 2030. The company said it also contributes to its goal of reducing Scope 3 forest, land and agriculture greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030, against a 2022 baseline.

According to the inaugural 2026 Processing State of the Industry Report, the U.S. food and beverage processing machinery market reached USD 6.2 billion in shipment value in 2025, representing 3.2% growth over 2024, with projections suggesting the market could expand to USD 6.7 billion by 2027.

Developed as a baseline assessment of the processing machinery sector, the report segments growth by end-user industries and equipment categories while identifying broader operational trends expected to influence investment strategies across food production.

For potato processors — particularly in frozen, snack, fresh-cut, and prepared categories — the report’s strongest relevance lies less in market segmentation and more in its identified technology priorities.

PMMI and FPSA point to automation as a major growth driver, reflecting continued workforce shortages across food manufacturing. This trend is directly aligned with ongoing investment in potato processing automation, where labor-intensive functions such as peeling, cutting, sorting, frying, seasoning, packaging, and sanitation increasingly depend on integrated machinery systems.

The report also emphasizes rising adoption of AI and data-driven technologies for monitoring and inspection, a trend with growing importance in potato processing operations focused on yield optimization, defect detection, predictive maintenance, and quality assurance. Optical sorting, automated defect removal, fryer management systems, and advanced packaging inspection technologies are already becoming central competitive differentiators in high-volume potato processing environments.

Sanitation and food safety are also identified as increasingly important investment areas, driven by heightened recall visibility and regulatory scrutiny. This is particularly relevant for chilled, fresh-cut, and frozen potato processors, where hygiene standards, contamination prevention, and traceability systems continue to shape equipment purchasing decisions.

Sustainability and operational efficiency form another major theme in the report, echoing challenges familiar to potato processors facing rising pressure to improve water use, energy efficiency, waste management, and throughput performance. In practical terms, this can translate into growing processor focus on water recirculation systems, oil management technologies, waste valorization, and line efficiency upgrades.

While meat and poultry, prepared foods, and dairy represent the report’s largest equipment segments, its broader conclusions suggest that machinery suppliers serving potato processors may increasingly align product development around the same macro-drivers: automation, labor reduction, AI-enabled quality systems, and sustainability.

“This report and infographic represent a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to provide actionable market intelligence to the processing industry,” said Jim Pittas, president and CEO, PMMI.

“The collaboration between FPSA and PMMI brings together deep industry expertise to create a comprehensive resource that truly reflects the realities and opportunities within food and beverage processing,” added Chris Lyons, president and CEO, FPSA.

For the potato industry, the report is less a direct market forecast than a strategic benchmark for understanding how broader food processing machinery priorities may influence equipment innovation, supplier focus, and plant modernization decisions in the coming years.

The strategy reflects a targeted move toward a customer base increasingly under pressure to improve back-of-house productivity while managing labor shortages, menu complexity, and preparation consistency. By presenting multiple cutting, slicing, and drying technologies within a foodservice context, Urschel is aligning itself with operators seeking integrated preparation systems rather than standalone equipment.

At the center of the exhibit is the Little Gem Aspire Dicer, a new Urschel cutting concept designed for fruit and vegetable processing. Engineered with a small footprint and low total cost of ownership, the machine produces slices from 2 mm to 20 mm, along with strips and dices up to 20 mm. Its compact design and space efficiency indicate clear relevance for foodservice operations where production capacity must often coexist with tighter kitchen or prep-area constraints.

The Sprint 2 Dicer adds a continuous production element, offering uninterrupted 2- or 3-dimensional cutting with configurable outputs including dices, strips, and granulations. Urschel’s decision to demonstrate the machine with a crinkle cut setup also suggests an emphasis on menu versatility and presentation, factors particularly relevant for restaurant and prepared-food operators.

Through KRONEN’s GS 10-2 Slicer and KS-100 PLUS Centrifuge / Dryer, Urschel broadens the proposition from cutting alone to a more complete prep workflow. The GS 10-2’s multifunctionality across slicing, dicing, shredding, and grating, combined with sanitary design and compact footprint, supports foodservice businesses balancing throughput with hygiene and space constraints. Meanwhile, the KS-100 PLUS addresses post-wash efficiency by reducing draining times and supporting integration into larger prep lines, an operational advantage for businesses processing fresh produce at scale.

This broader exhibit strategy suggests Urschel is not simply marketing machinery, but targeting a larger share of foodservice capital investment by framing its portfolio around productivity, process control, and operational standardization.

For a company historically associated with high-capacity industrial food cutting, the National Restaurant Association Show provides access to a wider ecosystem of restaurant chains, institutional foodservice providers, and hospitality operators. That positioning may prove increasingly important as suppliers seek growth in sectors where automation, labor substitution, and prep consistency are becoming strategic purchasing drivers.

By tailoring its message around “improv[ing] restaurant operations with efficient, precision cutting at high-capacity production,” Urschel is effectively using the event as a business development channel to diversify market exposure and strengthen its relevance in the evolving foodservice equipment landscape.

The new system is aimed particularly at small and medium-sized food manufacturers handling packaged products weighing up to 4kg, including confectionery, bakery products, cooked meats and nutrition bars.

The Raptor Flex is a modular, standalone checkweigher intended for installation at the end of inspection lines. According to Fortress Technology, the system has been developed to provide affordable automated checkweighing while retaining the precision required for regulated food production environments.

One of the main commercial points behind the launch is delivery speed. Fortress Technology said it can streamline production by offering standard machine sizes and configurations, while manufacturing the full system, including reporting and connectivity software, in-house.

“This quick turnaround helps food processors to promptly upgrade or adapt their quality control processes, supporting operational efficiency and responsiveness to market demands,” said Phil Brown, European Sales Director at Fortress Technology.

Built from stainless steel, the Raptor Flex is designed to fit into existing HACCP inspection lines. It features two wipe-clean, lift-out conveyors and can deliver high-speed weighing at up to 200 packs per minute.

The system also includes flexible input/output electronics to support installation and integration with Fortress Technology metal detection and x-ray systems. It can also be programmed to provide trend feedback to automated upstream filling, portioning and packing equipment.

For operators, the checkweigher is equipped with a 10.1-inch colour HMI touchscreen and a top-mounted status beacon visible from multiple angles. Live performance data, batch statistics and KPIs are displayed to help production teams identify operational issues and upstream inefficiencies.

The Raptor Flex includes 500 pre-programmed product categories, intended to reduce set-up and training time. A secure multi-level password system is designed to prevent operators from overriding instructions, helping to reduce human error and associated production bottlenecks.

Batch reports can be collected by USB or automated using Contact 4.0. For processors with more advanced data requirements, optional OPC UA and Ethernet/IP communication adapters support networked data integration and real-time information sharing across production systems.

Fortress Technology said processors can choose from three conveyor widths — 100mm, 200mm and 300mm — as well as several reject station options, including air blast, diverter paddles and kickers. Lift-off covers are available as an optional feature.

“With its rapid lead time and adaptable configuration options, the Raptor Flex delivers an ideal solution for processors seeking to enhance their quality control measures while maintaining operational agility and meeting tight production deadlines,” Brown said.

Positioned as the latest evolution of the company’s robag® platform, first launched in 1982, the new system is aimed at processors facing mounting pressure from labour shortages, rising operating costs, product proliferation and the shift toward smaller pack formats and multipacks.

According to TNA, the robag® Quantum is engineered around a different approach to capacity expansion: increasing output per packaging tube rather than scaling production by adding more bagmakers. The company states the system can deliver up to 300 bags per minute per tube, depending on bag format, film and product type.

Michael Jonson, CEO of TNA Solutions, said: “For over 40 years, the tna robag® has continuously raised the bar in VFFS packaging through ongoing innovation. Quantum is the latest expression of that journey, built with the same pioneering spirit, and engineered for what the industry needs next.”

For manufacturers, the operational proposition is not simply higher speed, but fewer machines for equivalent production targets. TNA argues that by increasing throughput per tube, processors may reduce associated infeed and outfeed infrastructure, potentially lowering maintenance requirements, cleaning demands and factory floor complexity.

Simon Hill, Group Product Innovation Manager at TNA Solutions, said: “Snack manufacturers are under pressure to produce more packs, more variety and more value, without adding complexity to the factory floor. With the tna robag® Quantum, we are helping producers rethink high-capacity packaging by increasing output per tube rather than simply adding more machines. The result is a simpler, more efficient line that supports higher OEE, lower waste and faster routes to profitability.”

The platform has been developed around four stated factory-floor priorities: easier, better, faster and smarter. TNA says the machine architecture has been simplified to support easier operation, faster changeovers and repeatable pack quality at high speed, while integrated event management and operator training tools are intended to improve responsiveness and long-term productivity.

TNA is also positioning the robag® Quantum as part of a broader integrated line strategy rather than a standalone bagmaker. When combined with upstream distribution and seasoning systems, the company says the machine is intended to support more connected production systems capable of handling product variety and labour constraints with reduced operational burden.

The launch reinforces TNA’s long-standing focus on snack production efficiency, where throughput, footprint and total line design increasingly influence capital investment decisions as much as machine speed itself.

The tna robag® Quantum is being demonstrated live at interpack 2026 in Hall 14, Stands C56 & D56, with TNA also contributing to the event’s Spotlight Forum on 9 May through a session led by Simon Hill focused on future-proofing packaging lines through intelligent design.

The company said the new products build on its Original crisp and are intended to give consumers additional flavor profiles around its interpretation of the traditional homemade latke as a light, crispy snack.

Garlic Parm is described by the company as offering roasted garlic and aged parmesan notes, while Spicy Honey Dijon combines mild heat with sweetness. Together with the Original variety, the expanded range now covers classic, savory and sweet-heat flavor profiles.

“As we continue to scale, expanding our flavor lineup is a key part of how we show up across more occasions and retail environments,” said Taylor Blue, founder and CEO. “We’re building Little Latke into a brand that blends nostalgia with innovation in a way that keeps consumers coming back.”

According to the company, the new flavors are made with Non-GMO potatoes, avocado oil and clean-label spices, in line with the formulation used for the Original crisp.

Little Latke said the products are available online through its website, with the new flavors also rolling out to select retailers across the US. The company lists a 3-pack at USD20 and a 12-pack at USD60.

Founded in November 2024, Little Latke describes itself as the creator of the world’s first shelf-stable potato latke crisp.