Messe Frankfurt and YONTEX, a joint venture between German trade fair organisers Messe München and NürnbergMesse, are teaming up to expand their brand presence in North America. From 2025, the organisers of leading international food processing, beverages and liquid food fairs will be pooling their strengths at the US trade fair EATS (Equipment, Automation and Technology Show for Food & Beverage). Held in Chicago, this event itself is a joint venture between the Food Production Solutions Association and Messe Frankfurt. The alliance between Messe Frankfurt and YONTEX is founded on their internationally renowned event brands IFFA and drinktec, which allows it to create strategic synergies that will lead EATS into the future as an international technology platform.
As Iris Jeglitza-Moshage, Member of the Extended Board of Management of Messe Frankfurt, explains: “This strategic alliance in North America between Messe Frankfurt and YONTEX – the joint venture between Messe München and NürnbergMesse – is unique. It brings together each partner’s individual strength and provides our customers with real added value through an even greater reach. We are also delighted that Messe Frankfurt is now further solidifying its close working relationship with US industry association FPSA through its brand IFFA – the world’s leading trade fair for technology for meat and alternative proteins.” Messe Frankfurt’s portfolio contains a total of four trade fairs that map the dynamic growth of the global food processing industry. As well as IFFA in Frankfurt, which covers the entire market for processing, packaging and selling meat and alternative proteins, there is Tecno Fidta in Buenos Aires and Meat Pro Asia in Bangkok.
These key Messe Frankfurt areas of focus at EATS are now to be joined by the well-known brand drinktec, the leading international fair that spans the entire production value chain for the beverage and liquid food industry. This means that EATS will now be able to cover the entire portfolio of food and beverage production on the US market. As Petra Westphal, Executive Vice President of YONTEX, emphasises: “This cooperation for the US market also gives drinktec exhibitors an excellent opportunity to present themselves on the US market in the familiar drinktec format. By integrating drinktec within EATS, we will also be able to showcase the brand presence and scope of the Munich-based international flagship fair in the USA – one of the most important global markets of all.”
Richard Clemens, Managing Director of the Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association and the Process Plant and Equipment Association within the German Engineering Federation (VDMA), welcomes this joint project: “As the endorsing sponsor of international flagship fairs IFFA and drinktec, we are very pleased to see these trade fair companies joining forces in this way. This cooperation will create an ideal platform in the US market for exhibitors and visitors alike.”
The Equipment and Technology Show for Food & Beverage (EATS – formerly Process Expo) will be held at McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago between 28 and 30 October 2025. Last year, the organisers – Messe Frankfurt Inc. and the Food Production Solutions Association (FPSA) – announced a new brand identity for the trade fair, thereby bringing about an important change in the innovative approach to expanding the trade fair. The dynamic food and beverage industry evolves at a rapid pace and regularly incorporates new sectors such as alternative proteins, pet food and functional beverages. This means that the focus of the rebranding was not just on the new name but also on a new strategic vision.
Source: Messe Frankfurt
