CHICAGO — Live production lines will return to this year’s Equipment, Automation and Technology Show for Food and Beverage (EATS), formerly Process Expo. The biennial show, scheduled for Oct. 28 to 30 at McCormick Place in Chicago, is co-hosted by the Food Production Solutions Association (FPSA) and Messe Frankfurt Inc.

The on-site production lines, which have been a feature at the show since 2017, will feature three live production lines — pet food, meat and bakery.

“These production lines are the essence of the EATS, showcasing the processing journey from raw ingredients through to packaging and the project management required to make it all come together,” said Sarah Hatcher, group show director for EATS. “Since their inception, the production lines have been an amazing display of collaboration and the reality of interconnectedness for processors onlooking. There are learning opportunities for visitors in every step of these lines — from the OEMS on standby and machinery itself to considerations in the formulation and line speed — insights abound.”

This year’s pet food production line is sponsored, organized and installed by engineering firm Gray AES, with assistance from BSM Partners, a full-service technical business services firm with expertise in the pet care segment.

“At Gray AES, we’re thrilled to partner with FPSA and leading OEMs on this fresh pet food production line for EATS 2025,” said Brian Shoop, vice president, Process Engineering at Gray AES. “As chair of the Food Safety Network, I’m excited to showcase the cutting-edge technologies and collaborative spirit that are shaping the future of pet food production.”

Companies contributing their equipment and technology to this year’s pet food production line include: Axiflow Technologies, CEM Corporation, Dynamic Conveyor, FPS - Food Processing Solutions, Friesen’s, Gray AES, Handtmann, Intralox, JLS Automation, Marken-Imaje, Matrix Packaging, Mepaco, Mettler Toledo, MoistTech Corp. and Multivac 

This year’s line will produce fresh pet food during demonstrations each day of the tradeshow. 

“Fresh pet food is one of the fastest growing segments in the US food industry with more than $700 million in annual sales and a compound annual growth rate projected between 16% and 21% over the next six years,” said Chris Lyons, president and chief executive officer of FPSA. “With that in mind, FPSA’s Pet Food Council was eager to build what we believe is our most ambitious production line since launching the live production line program in 2017. With 14 of FPSA’s members providing the latest innovations in processing and packaging technology, this pet food line and our daily demonstrations are sure to be a hit with food manufacturers coming to EATS in search of new ideas.” 

Find out more about the EATS 2025 show here. 

Read more about pet food and treat industry events.