Food Processing Automation Market Size, Growth, Trends & Industry Analysis 2030

Name: Food Processing Automation Market Size, Growth, Trends & Industry Analysis 2030
Creator: Mordor Intelligence
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Food Processing Automation Market Size and Share

Market Overview

Study Period	2019 - 2030
Market Size (2025)	USD 27.95 Billion
Market Size (2030)	USD 40.12 Billion
Growth Rate (2025 - 2030)	7.40% CAGR
Fastest Growing Market	South America
Largest Market	Asia Pacific
Market Concentration	Medium
Major Players *Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order Image © Mordor Intelligence. Reuse requires attribution under CC BY 4.0.

Food Processing Automation Market (2025 - 2030) — Image © Mordor Intelligence. Reuse requires attribution under CC BY 4.0.

Food Processing Automation Market Analysis by Mordor Intelligence

The Food processing automation market size was valued at USD 27.95 billion in 2025 and is forecast to reach USD 40.12 billion by 2030, reflecting a 7.49% CAGR. This expansion stemmed from escalating labor shortages, tighter global food-safety rules, and the push for lean, energy-efficient production. Roughly 48% of capital spending by large food manufacturers in 2025 flowed toward new or upgraded automation projects, signifying a decisive move from isolated machinery toward connected, data-driven lines. The food-grade robotics boom, the proliferation of real-time OEE dashboards, and widespread cloud adoption further accelerated uptake. Providers that bundled hardware, software, and compliance services captured rising demand for turnkey solutions.

Key Report Takeaways

By operational technology, Industrial Robotics led with 29.4% revenue share in 2024; the same segment is projected to expand at a 13.8% CAGR through 2030.
By component, hardware commanded 67.3% of the Food processing automation market size in 2024, while software and services record the highest projected CAGR at 12.5% through 2030.
By end-user, meat, poultry and seafood processing accounted for 26.3% of the Food processing automation market share in 2024; fruit and vegetable processing is forecast to advance at 11.2% CAGR to 2030.
By application, packaging and re-packaging held 34.8% of the Food processing automation market size in 2024, whereas palletising and depalletising is set to grow at 14.6% CAGR through 2030.
By automation level, semi-automatic lines captured 60.1% share in 2024; fully-automatic lines are projected to expand at 10.1% CAGR to 2030.
By geography, Asia-Pacific dominated with 38.7% revenue share in 2024, while South America is projected to post the fastest 11.9% CAGR to 2030.

Global Food Processing Automation Market Trends and Insights

Drivers Impact Analysis

Driver	(~) % Impact on CAGR Forecast	Geographic Relevance	Impact Timeline
Digitisation of HACCP-compliant traceability	+1.2%	Global, early adoption in North America and EU	Medium term (2-4 years)
Adoption of hygienic, wash-down-ready robotics	+1.8%	Global, particularly strong in Asia-Pacific	Short term (≤ 2 years)
Surge in ready-to-eat meal demand post-pandemic	+1.1%	North America and Europe core, expanding to Asia-Pacific	Medium term (2-4 years)
Workforce shortages accelerating “lights-out” plants	+2.1%	Global, most acute in developed markets	Short term (≤ 2 years)
Real-time OEE analytics lowering downtime	+0.9%	Global, advanced implementations in North America	Medium term (2-4 years)
ESG-driven energy-efficient line retrofits	+0.8%	Europe and North America leading, expanding globally	Long term (≥ 4 years)
Source: Mordor Intelligence

Understand The Key Trends Shaping This Market

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Digitisation of HACCP-compliant traceability

Digital traceability platforms replaced manual logs by linking IoT sensors, blockchain databases, and cloud dashboards that captured cooking temperatures, lot codes, and supplier credentials in real time. These systems cut average recall response from weeks to hours and prepared processors for FDA traceability mandates effective January 2026. Large buyers adopted them to lower insurance premiums and protect brand equity, creating new revenue streams for automation integrators that offered end-to-end compliance packages.

Adoption of hygienic, wash-down-ready robotics

Food-grade robots equipped with IP69K housings, corrosion-proof surfaces, and food-safe lubricants enabled automation of moist, chilled, or high-pressure wash-down zones previously deemed off-limits. Leading deployments in cheese and dairy cutting showed 83% waste reductions, while ROI periods often stayed below 18 months for medium-size plants^{[1]KUKA AG, “Automated Cheese Processing,” kuka.com}.

Surge in ready-to-eat (RTE) meal demand

RTE lines handled delicate ingredients, multiple temperature zones, and frequent recipe changeovers. AI-guided robots adapted gripper force and placement paths on the fly, automating assembly of more than 40 million meals for large meal-kit brands and attracting USD 43.1 million in venture funding by early 2025.

Workforce shortages accelerating “lights-out” plants

More than 615,000 unfilled manufacturing roles in 2024 prompted processors to run third-shift operations with skeletal crews. Digital twins synchronized with MES platforms let remote supervisors optimize throughput and maintenance windows, cutting downtime by 64% at early adopters.

Restraint Impact Analysis

Restraint	(~) % Impact on CAGR Forecast	Geographic Relevance	Impact Timeline
High up-front CAPEX for retrofit brown-field sites	-1.5%	Global, particularly acute in emerging markets	Short term (≤ 2 years)
Cyber-security vulnerabilities in legacy SCADA	-0.8%	Global, most critical in developed markets	Medium term (2-4 years)
Low ROI in price-sensitive emerging markets	-1.2%	Asia-Pacific emerging economies, Africa, Latin America	Medium term (2-4 years)
Skills gap in OT-IT convergence	-0.9%	Global, acute shortages in North America and Europe	Long term (≥ 4 years)
Source: Mordor Intelligence

High up-front CAPEX for retrofit brown-field sites

Retrofits often cost 40-60% more than new-build installations because lines must stay partially operational, utilities must be relocated, and legacy PLCs need custom gateways. RaaS contracts and modular cells that slide into existing layouts began to ease the burden, yet finance teams in small plants still viewed payback windows cautiously^{[2]ABB, “Cyber Security in Food and Beverage Industry,” new.abb.com}.

Cybersecurity vulnerabilities in legacy SCADA

Seventy-three publicly reported ransomware attacks targeted global food processors in 2023 alone. Outdated PLC firmware lacked encryption or role-based access, exposing recipes, batch schedules, and even CIP valves to malicious actors. Vendors expanded zero-trust service tiers, and some insurers mandated annual penetration testing before renewing premiums^{[3]Food Engineering, “Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities Increasing at the Operations Technology Level,” foodengineeringmag.com}.

Segment Analysis

By Operational Technology: Industrial Robotics Drives Innovation

Industrial Robotics contributed USD 8.22 billion to the Food processing automation market size in 2024 and is projected to grow at a 13.8% CAGR. Installations spanned primary cutting, pick-and-place, and case packing. AI-vision upgrades allowed grippers to adjust in milliseconds to irregular produce, boosting first-pass yield. Distributed Control Systems remained essential for dairy pasteurization and brewing, providing deterministic control over temperature-sensitive stages. MES adoption climbed as processors synchronized shop-floor data with ERP suites to streamline audit queries and allergen control. Meanwhile, VFD retrofits cut conveyor energy draw by up to 25%, prompting utility rebate programs in Europe. Continuous sensor miniaturization pushed decision logic to the edge, letting production cells self-optimize without waiting for cloud feedback.

Even with robotics dominance, manufacturers layered multiple technologies to maximize uptime. A protein plant might feed vision-guided robots through a DCS buffer, log KPIs into MES, and fine-tune motor torque via VFDs, illustrating platform convergence across the Food processing automation market.

Food Processing Automation Market: Market Share by Operational Technology — Image © Mordor Intelligence. Reuse requires attribution under CC BY 4.0.

By Component: Hardware Dominance with Software Acceleration

Hardware retained 67.3% revenue share in 2024 because processors still needed stainless servo actuators, wash-down robots, and sealed motors before digital analytics could add value. However, software and services grew 12.5% annually as users demanded predictive maintenance dashboards, cloud MES subscriptions, and 24/7 cyber-monitoring. Smart cameras embedded neural inference chips, while robotics OEMs bundled SaaS licenses that delivered firmware updates and AI models over-the-air.

Managed cybersecurity, regulatory reporting, and energy-optimization contracts expanded margins beyond the one-time equipment sale. As a result, integrated offerings blurred the line between physical assets and code, reshaping vendor revenue streams throughout the Food processing automation market.

By End-User: Meat Processing Leads, Produce Accelerates

Meat, poultry and seafood plants represented USD 7.35 billion of the Food processing automation market size in 2024, benefitting from blade-tracking robots that portioned cuts with millimetric precision while meeting stringent hygiene. Robots replaced up to 80 manual cutters per line and drove consistent yields in high-throughput plants.

Fruit and vegetable processors posted the highest 11.2% CAGR thanks to hyperspectral grading that identified ripeness and surface bruising invisible to workers, reducing trim waste by over one-third. Dairy, bakery, and beverage facilities quietly expanded automation footprints as real-time analytics cut off-spec volumes and water use. Collectively, multi-industry traction affirmed broad applicability of advanced controls across the Food processing automation market.

By Application: Packaging Dominates, Palletising Accelerates

Packaging and re-packaging systems delivered 34.8% of 2024 revenue, driven by demand for tamper-evident films, recyclable materials, and dynamic label printing. At 600 packages per minute, high-speed cartoners relied on servo synchronization and inline inspection cameras to catch seal defects instantly. Palletising and depalletising grew fastest at 14.6% CAGR as e-commerce and SKU proliferation required flexible pallet patterns.

Vision-guided robotic arms stacked mixed cases without slipsheets, minimizing warehouse labor. Sorting, grading, and upstream processing cells continued to adopt AI-enabled sensors to verify color, density, and foreign-matter contamination, extending intelligent decision-making across the Food processing automation market.

Food Processing Automation Market: Market Share by Application — Image © Mordor Intelligence. Reuse requires attribution under CC BY 4.0.

By Automation Level: Semi-Automatic Leads, Fully-Automatic Gains

Semi-automatic lines held 60.1% share because many processors favored the blend of human dexterity and robotic consistency. Operators inspected final appearance, while robots handled repetitive heavy lifting.

Fully-automatic alternatives registered a 10.1% CAGR as line-integrated cameras and self-learning PLCs enabled continuous operation with minimal oversight. Digital twin simulations cut commissioning times, enabling brown-field plants to switch from three crews to a single day crew that supervised several lights-out cells remotely. The progressive migration illustrated an industry arc toward autonomy within the Food processing automation market.

Geography Analysis

Asia-Pacific maintained leadership with 38.7% revenue share in 2024, underpinned by China’s food-safety rule tightening and wage inflation that accelerated robotics adoption in meat deboning, dairy filling, and snack packaging. Japanese OEMs exported food-grade robots across the region, reinforcing a dense support ecosystem. Indian processors modernized fruit sorting and spice grinding lines through government automation incentives.

South America registered an 11.9% CAGR outlook. Brazilian meatpackers retrofitted chilled rooms with hygienic robots to meet EU import standards, while sugar mills installed MES and VFDs to cut energy consumption. Investments rippled into Argentina and Chile where produce exporters automated washing and grading to secure new shelf-life-sensitive markets.

North America’s mature installed base focused on AI retrofits and cybersecurity hardening. RTE meal producers in urban corridors adopted cobots to meet convenience-food demand spikes. European processors pushed ESG goals, adding high-efficiency drives and water-recapture skid packages. The Middle East and parts of Africa initiated palm-date and dairy modernisation programs, showing rising but uneven penetration in the global Food processing automation market.

Food Processing Automation Market CAGR (%), Growth Rate by Region — Image © Mordor Intelligence. Reuse requires attribution under CC BY 4.0.

Competitive Landscape

The competitive terrain remained moderately fragmented. Global automation majors—ABB, Siemens, Rockwell Automation, Emerson—leveraged broad portfolios, lifecycle services, and cybersecurity suites. Sector specialists—Marel, JBT, Tetra Pak—focused on protein, aseptic, or packaging niches and deep process expertise.

JBT sealed a USD 3.5 billion acquisition of Marel in January 2025, creating a platform covering poultry evisceration to high-pressure pasteurisation. Start-ups such as Chef Robotics and Sojo Industries captured meal-kit assembly and mobile packaging projects via Robotics-as-a-Service pricing. Technology differentiation centered on on-board AI, edge analytics, and blockchain traceability plug-ins.

Vendors sought partnerships with cloud hyperscalers to align OT data with enterprise planning. Small and mid-size plants represented untapped white space, spurring modular cells that shipped pre-wired, slashing installation days. Collectively, these moves intensified innovation and price competition throughout the Food processing automation market.

Food Processing Automation Industry Leaders

Schneider Electric SE
Rockwell Automation Inc.
Honeywell International Inc.
Emerson Electric Company
ABB Limited
*Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order

Food Processing Automation Market — Image © Mordor Intelligence. Reuse requires attribution under CC BY 4.0.

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Recent Industry Developments

June 2025: Cargill committed USD 90 million to robotic deboning and vision inspection at its Colorado beef plant, targeting higher yield and lower trim waste.
June 2025: Sojo Industries closed USD 40 million Series B funding to scale its blockchain-enabled mobile packaging line.
May 2025: ProMach acquired DJS Systems, expanding flexible packaging automation capabilities.
March 2025: Chef Robotics raised USD 43.1 million Series A to broaden AI-robot deployment for meal assembly.

Table of Contents for Food Processing Automation Industry Report

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Study Assumptions and Market Definition
1.2 Scope of the Study

2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

4. MARKET LANDSCAPE

4.1 Market Overview
4.2 Market Drivers
- 4.2.1 Digitisation of HACCP?compliant traceability
- 4.2.2 Adoption of hygienic, wash-down-ready robotics
- 4.2.3 Surge in ready-to-eat (RTE) meal demand post-pandemic
- 4.2.4 Workforce shortages accelerating "lights-out" plants
- 4.2.5 Real-time OEE analytics lowering downtime
- 4.2.6 ESG-driven energy-efficient line retrofits
4.3 Market Restraints
- 4.3.1 High up-front CAPEX for retrofit brown-field sites
- 4.3.2 Cyber-security vulnerabilities in legacy SCADA
- 4.3.3 Low ROI in price-sensitive emerging markets
- 4.3.4 Skills gap in OT-IT convergence
4.4 Evaluation of Critical Regulatory Framework
4.5 Value Chain Analysis
4.6 Technological Outlook
4.7 Porter's Five Forces
- 4.7.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers
- 4.7.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers
- 4.7.3 Threat of New Entrants
- 4.7.4 Threat of Substitutes
- 4.7.5 Competitive Rivalry
4.8 Impact Assessment of Key Stakeholders
4.9 Key Use Cases and Case Studies
4.10 Impact on Macroeconomic Factors of the Market
4.11 Investment Analysis

5. MARKET SEGMENTATION

5.1 By Operational Technology and Software
- 5.1.1 Distributed Control Systems (DCS)
- 5.1.2 Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
- 5.1.3 Variable-Frequency Drives (VFD)
- 5.1.4 Valves and Actuators
- 5.1.5 Electric Motors
- 5.1.6 Sensors and Transmitters
- 5.1.7 Industrial Robotics
- 5.1.8 Other Technologies
5.2 By Component
- 5.2.1 Hardware
- 5.2.2 Software and Services
5.3 By End-User
- 5.3.1 Dairy Processing
- 5.3.2 Bakery and Confectionery
- 5.3.3 Meat, Poultry and Seafood
- 5.3.4 Fruit and Vegetable Processing
- 5.3.5 Beverage Manufacturing
- 5.3.6 Other End-Users
5.4 By Application
- 5.4.1 Packaging and Re-packaging
- 5.4.2 Palletising and Depalletising
- 5.4.3 Sorting and Grading
- 5.4.4 Primary and Secondary Processing
- 5.4.5 Other Applications
5.5 By Automation Level
- 5.5.1 Fully-Automatic Lines
- 5.5.2 Semi-Automatic Lines
5.6 By Geography
- 5.6.1 North America
- 5.6.1.1 United States
- 5.6.1.2 Canada
- 5.6.1.3 Mexico
- 5.6.2 South America
- 5.6.2.1 Brazil
- 5.6.2.2 Argentina
- 5.6.2.3 Rest of South America
- 5.6.3 Europe
- 5.6.3.1 Germany
- 5.6.3.2 United Kingdom
- 5.6.3.3 France
- 5.6.3.4 Italy
- 5.6.3.5 Russia
- 5.6.3.6 Rest of Europe
- 5.6.4 Asia-Pacific
- 5.6.4.1 China
- 5.6.4.2 Japan
- 5.6.4.3 South Korea
- 5.6.4.4 India
- 5.6.4.5 ASEAN
- 5.6.4.6 Rest of Asia-Pacific
- 5.6.5 Middle East and Africa
- 5.6.5.1 Middle East
- 5.6.5.1.1 Saudi Arabia
- 5.6.5.1.2 United Arab Emirates
- 5.6.5.1.3 Turkey
- 5.6.5.1.4 Rest of Middle East
- 5.6.5.2 Africa
- 5.6.5.2.1 South Africa
- 5.6.5.2.2 Nigeria
- 5.6.5.2.3 Rest of Africa

6. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

6.1 Market Concentration
6.2 Strategic Moves
6.3 Market Share Analysis
6.4 Company Profiles {(includes Global level Overview, Market level overview, Core Segments, Financials as available, Strategic Information, Market Rank/Share for key companies, Products and Services, and Recent Developments)}
- 6.4.1 ABB Ltd.
- 6.4.2 Alfa Laval AB
- 6.4.3 Baader Food Processing Machinery GmbH
- 6.4.4 Bosch Rexroth AG
- 6.4.5 Bühler Holding AG
- 6.4.6 Endress+Hauser Group Services AG
- 6.4.7 Emerson Electric Co.
- 6.4.8 FANUC Corp.
- 6.4.9 Festo SE & Co. KG
- 6.4.10 GE A Group AG
- 6.4.11 Honeywell International Inc.
- 6.4.12 Ishida Co., Ltd.
- 6.4.13 John Bean Technologies Corp.
- 6.4.14 Key Technology Inc. (Duravant LLC)
- 6.4.15 KUKA AG
- 6.4.16 Marel hf
- 6.4.17 Mitsubishi Electric Corp.
- 6.4.18 Multivac Sepp Haggenmüller SE & Co. KG
- 6.4.19 Omron Corp.
- 6.4.20 Regal Rexnord Corp.
- 6.4.21 Rockwell Automation Inc.
- 6.4.22 Schneider Electric SE
- 6.4.23 Siemens AG
- 6.4.24 SPX FLOW Inc.
- 6.4.25 Tetra Pak International S.A.
- 6.4.26 Yaskawa Electric Corp.
- 6.4.27 Yokogawa Electric Corp.

7. MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE OUTLOOK

7.1 White-space and Unmet-Need Assessment

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Global Food Processing Automation Market Report Scope

Automation in the food industry simplifies the food packaging process, which includes food sorting and grading, packing, and managing processes. Automation is an effective solution for enterprises requiring an efficient solution for overcoming numerous challenges, such as enhancing productivity, improving yield, optimizing resource management, mitigating security risks, and improving asset management.

The food automation market is segmented by operational technology and software (distributed control systems (DCS), manufacturing execution systems (MES), variable-frequency drive (VFD), valves and actuators, electric motors, sensors and transmitters, and industrial robotics), end user (dairy processing, bakery and confectionery, meat, poultry, and seafood, fruits and vegetables, and beverages), application (packaging and repackaging, palletizing, sorting and grading, and processing), geography (North America (United States and Canada), Europe (United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, and Rest of Asia-Pacific), Latin America, and Middle-East and Africa). The report offers the market size in value terms in USD for all the abovementioned segments.

By Operational Technology and Software	Distributed Control Systems (DCS)
	Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
	Variable-Frequency Drives (VFD)
	Valves and Actuators
	Electric Motors
	Sensors and Transmitters
	Industrial Robotics
	Other Technologies
By Component	Hardware
	Software and Services
By End-User	Dairy Processing
	Bakery and Confectionery
	Meat, Poultry and Seafood
	Fruit and Vegetable Processing
	Beverage Manufacturing
	Other End-Users
By Application	Packaging and Re-packaging
	Palletising and Depalletising
	Sorting and Grading
	Primary and Secondary Processing
	Other Applications
By Automation Level	Fully-Automatic Lines
	Semi-Automatic Lines

By Geography	North America	United States
		Canada
		Mexico

	South America	Brazil
		Argentina
		Rest of South America

	Europe	Germany
		United Kingdom
		France
		Italy
		Russia
		Rest of Europe

	Asia-Pacific	China
		Japan
		South Korea
		India
		ASEAN
		Rest of Asia-Pacific

	Middle East and Africa	Middle East	Saudi Arabia
			United Arab Emirates
			Turkey
			Rest of Middle East

		Africa	South Africa
			Nigeria
			Rest of Africa

By Operational Technology and Software

Distributed Control Systems (DCS)

Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)

Variable-Frequency Drives (VFD)

Valves and Actuators

Electric Motors

Sensors and Transmitters

Industrial Robotics

Other Technologies

By Component

Hardware

Software and Services

By End-User

Dairy Processing

Bakery and Confectionery

Meat, Poultry and Seafood

Fruit and Vegetable Processing

Beverage Manufacturing

Other End-Users

By Application

Packaging and Re-packaging

Palletising and Depalletising

Sorting and Grading

Primary and Secondary Processing

Other Applications

By Automation Level

Fully-Automatic Lines

Semi-Automatic Lines

By Geography

North America	United States
	Canada
	Mexico
South America	Brazil
	Argentina
	Rest of South America
Europe	Germany
	United Kingdom
	France
	Italy
	Russia
	Rest of Europe
Asia-Pacific	China
	Japan
	South Korea
	India
	ASEAN
	Rest of Asia-Pacific

Middle East and Africa	Middle East	Saudi Arabia
		United Arab Emirates
		Turkey
		Rest of Middle East

	Africa	South Africa
		Nigeria
		Rest of Africa