Communal food

Ceratizit Halle (Hall 3)

Sustainability and climate protection are a must nowadays – in communal food too. The desire for a menu, which satisfies these needs, does not only come from guests but also from within the company. Operators of canteens and refectories must also react to this in the same way as caterers in order to compete on the market.

Good food for school classes – LunchLab for kindergartens and schools

Focus on the future of catering in schools and kindergartens

INTERGASTRA 2026 will focus on the topic of catering in schools and kindergartens – since the provision of meals for children in kindergartens and schools is a task for society as a whole that directly affects millions of families. LunchLab is an innovative platform on which existing structures can be questioned and new viable methods for communal food can be developed. The objectives are to provide inspiration, promote dialogue and jointly develop solutions.

LunchLab: more than just products – the big picture in mind

LunchLab deliberately differs from traditional exhibitions. The focal points are not just products or technology, but primarily suitable overall solutions and field-tested processes. Visitors can look forward to a varied special area containing a stage programme and exhibition and dialogue elements. The topics to be discussed there will include quality, standards, sustainability, financing, digitalisation, recruitment of skilled workers and the active involvement of children and parents in catering. A large number of partners will share their experiences and show how innovative approaches function in practice.

Process optimisation in LunchLab: efficient and future-oriented

The focal point of LunchLab is process optimisation of existing solutions for communal food. Between cost pressure, the shortage of skilled workers and increasing requirements regarding sustainability, LunchLab will show how processes can be designed more efficiently, how resources can be used purposefully and how quality can be ensured. In the informative special area you will not encounter a show featuring just technology or products, but will instead gain a practical overview of the entire topic – from planning and organisation through to everyday eating culture. LunchLab will focus on the big picture: structures, processes, attitude – and specific ways to successfully achieve good catering under real conditions.

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Partners

Key topics in LunchLab

  • Quality & standards: Practical implementation of DGE Standards, feedback systems, Cook & Chill.
  • Sustainability & regionalism: Organic portions, CO₂ balances, seasonal menus, cooperation agreements with producers.
  • Financing & contract awarding practice: Fair calculations, promotional programmes, tenders.
  • Digitalisation & logistics: Tools for ordering, invoicing, menus, cold chain & transport.
  • Shortage of skilled workers & personnel: Qualification, hygiene standards, cooperation agreements.
  • Educational involvement: Eating culture, participation of children, nutrition education.
  • Future of catering: Modular kitchens, mobile dispensing systems, refectories as social spaces.
  • Practice pure: Empirical reports from communes, schools, kindergartens and companies.

School Catering Congress

The challenges in our current education systems are unprecedented. Children now attending a kindergarten will only finish their training after 2040, thereby entering a world which has changed dramatically. The quality of school catering plays a key role in this respect: it will not only influence the eating habits and nutritional awareness among the next generation, but will also shape future guests in restaurants.

The School Catering Congress on 9 February 2026 during INTERGASTRA will be a unique platform to discuss current challenges, innovative concepts and proven practical examples relating to catering in schools. The focal points of the Congress will be topics such as sustainable and healthy food, the integration of digital solutions, and financing and organisation in the development process.

Leading experts, decision-makers and practitioners from education, the restaurant industry and politics will meet in order to jointly develop new methods and learn from one another. Make use of the Congress to carry out networking, gain inspiration and take home specific ideas on how to further develop school catering. We will therefore jointly send a strong signal for the future of our children – and for the quality of communal food.

Program Details