südback Trend Award 2026
The award ceremony for the südback Trend Award 2026
The award ceremony for the südback Trend Award 2026 will take place on Saturday, 24 October 2026 at 9:30 am during the official opening of südback.
The renowned südback Trend Award is a top-class award with the aim of recognizing developments in terms of technical innovations, design and concepts.
The südback Trend Award is organized by Messe Stuttgart. The Allgemeine BäckerZeitung (ABZ) and BÄKO-magazin support this competition as partners. Co-organizers are the BÄKO-Zentrale eG and the Landesinnungsverband für das Württembergische Bäckerhandwerk e. V. (Württemberg Bakers' Guild Association).
The winners of the südback Trend Award 2026
- Category Marketing, Sales & Organization
- Category Raw Materials & Convenience
- Category Technology
- Special Award Digital Solutions
The winner in the category "Marketing, Sales and Organisation" is Ringoplast GmbH with the reusable stacking container "AVENDO – Two Standard Transport Heights for Bakery Logistics in One Container".
AVENDO is a reusable rotating stacking container that for the first time combines two previously separate standard transport heights used in bakery logistics – 8.5 cm and 15 cm – in a single product. Companies that previously relied on two different container types can now significantly simplify their fleet, make more efficient use of storage space and reduce transport costs. In the stacked position, AVENDO offers a height of 15 cm for more voluminous products such as loaves and rolls; in the nested position, the usable height reduces to 8.5 cm, making it ideal for flatter baked goods such as doughnuts or pastries. Volume savings in basket storage and empty container returns amount to up to 40 percent.
"In many conversations with bakeries, we see how important ease of handling, less space requirements and efficient processes in container circulation are. This is exactly where AVENDO comes in. It offers two usable heights while at the same time reducing volume during return transport and in basket storage by up to 40 percent," explains Oliver Ende, Head of Sales at Ringoplast.
The winner in the category "Raw Materials & Convenience" is BÄKO-ZENTRALE eG with its French Butter Caramel product range – comprising the varieties Butter Caramel sweet, Butter Caramel salted and Butter Caramel salted Chunks.
Developed in collaboration with French specialist METAROM France, the product range combines authentic French caramel flavour with high processing reliability. A traditional cooking process and carefully selected ingredients create a complex flavour profile with distinctive butter and caramel notes – versatile in application, from fine pastries and desserts to ice cream creations. At the end of 2025, the range was already named "Product of the Year 2026" by the BÄKO Raw Materials Working Group.
"Our product concept, developed together with METAROM France, combines current consumer and food trends with French tradition, authentic craftsmanship and the highest quality standards. With premium ingredients, a traditional cooking process, a deliberately concise list of ingredients and versatile applications, our Butter Caramel range stands for artisanal perfection – creating an authentic flavour experience that brings together innovation and tradition in a very special way," explains Jean-Pierre Nachtsheim, Managing Director of BÄKO-ZENTRALE eG in Duisburg.
The winner in the category "Technology" is French company Bongard with the Spiral Evo Smart: a next-generation intelligent kneading machine that combines traditional bakery craftsmanship with modern control technology.
An integrated bowl scale, automatic water dosing system and smart temperature sensors ensure consistent dough results – regardless of season or operator. Up to 99 recipes can be stored and guide users through the entire kneading process, offering a tangible benefit in daily operations, particularly in light of the ongoing skilled labour shortage.
"With the SPIRAL EVO SMART, Bongard pursues a clear goal: to make the baker's daily work easier, safer and more reproducible – without replacing their craft expertise. Precise temperature control, automatic water dosing, integrated weighing and intelligent recipe management support the baker where it matters most: consistent dough quality and greater comfort in everyday use," says Benoit Sevin, Managing Director of Bongard.
Pentacode AG from Munich receives the Special Award in the category "Digital Solutions" for their AI-powered HR platform Yna, a solution that gives bakeries meaningful support in shift scheduling, time tracking and staff management.
The daily admin of running a bakery is complex. Yna makes it easier. Deeply integrated into the Pentacode platform, Yna understands the operational context it works in. Questions about rotas, staff costs or absences can be asked in plain language – Yna delivers the right analyses and insights straight back. For bakeries with multiple locations and fluctuating staff, that makes a real difference in day-to-day operations.
"Winning the südback Trend Award 2026 means a great deal to us. I come from a hands-on background myself and know how much organisational pressure builds up in businesses every single day. That is why our ambition from the very beginning was not to build software that ends up in a drawer, but a tool that genuinely takes the load off business owners and their teams. We are absolutely delighted that this approach is now being recognised," says Lorenz Strasser, CEO and founder of Pentacode.
Jury of the südback Trend Award 2026
Behind the Decisions
An experienced expert jury from various areas of the industry assesses which innovations truly advance the bakery and confectionery trade. In addition to their degree of innovation, the jury focuses on practical relevance, tangible added value and current challenges such as sustainability, digitalisation and resource efficiency.
