FoodTech is the set of tools used across the whole food chain: production, processing, distribution and eating. 2026 is a year of hard truths more than promises. Vertical farming has shrunk, with some big failures. Lab-grown meat is still banned in Italy, while it is already on sale elsewhere. And an unexpected factor, GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, is changing what people eat more than any healthy-eating campaign.
Contents
- What foodtech is
- Vertical farming: the promise and the reckoning
- Precision agriculture: the bridge to the fields
- Alternative proteins: where things stand
- Cultivated meat: the Italian case
- Robotic kitchens and ghost kitchens
- AI in restaurants
- 3D food printing
- Traceability: blockchain and smart labels
- The effect of weight-loss drugs on food
- FAQ and the table of 2035
What foodtech is (definition)
FoodTech uses digital tools, biotech and automation at four stages of the food chain. These are production (on farms and beyond), factory processing, distribution and final consumption, including how we order and cook food. In 2026, the sector lives with two opposite stories. One is about new ideas that promise to feed people in a greener way. The other is about startups that promised too much, too fast, and failed.
Vertical farming: the promise and the reckoning
Vertical farming means growing crops indoors on stacked levels, with artificial light and full climate control. After years of heavy investment, it has gone through a harsh shake-out. Several firms once seen as leaders have cut back sharply or gone bankrupt. The weak point is still energy costs. Lighting and heating or cooling crops indoors uses a lot of energy. With cheap crops such as lettuce or grains, this cost rarely pays off.
| Where it works | Where it struggles |
| High-value-per-portion herbs and microgreens | Low-value crops such as grains or lettuce at large volumes |
| Water- or arable-land-scarce regions (Middle East, city-states) | Markets with expensive electricity and competition from traditional farming |
| Proximity to the end consumer (shorter supply chain) | Business models that had promised rapid industrial scalability |
The sector has not disappeared. It has shrunk to the niches where the numbers truly add up. These are mainly fresh herbs sold in shops and farms in the Middle East, where the lack of water makes indoor growing more competitive.
Precision agriculture: the bridge to the fields
Precision farming uses field sensors, detailed maps and treatments that vary across the field. It is the tech base behind much of foodtech at the start of the chain. We cover it in more detail in our AgriTech guide, rather than repeat it here.
Alternative proteins: where things stand
The alternative protein market is moving in opposite directions. Sales of plant-based products are falling in several Western markets after years of strong growth. Shoppers see them as costly and highly processed. Precision fermentation, by contrast, is growing. It uses modified microbes to make proteins identical to animal ones, such as some milk proteins, without farm animals. Insect proteins are a special case. The EU has approved several species as novel foods. But few shoppers accept them, except in niches such as animal feed or supplements.
Cultivated meat: the Italian case
Lab-grown meat is grown from animal cells rather than from farm animals. It has been legal and on sale in Singapore since 2020 and in the US since 2023, where some restaurants already serve it. In Italy, law 172/2023 bans making and selling food and feed made from cell cultures. Fines range from €10,000 to €60,000 (up to 10% of yearly revenue). The law only covers food from animals with a backbone. Animals without a backbone are not covered by the ban.
The legal debate is still open. Several experts point to a possible clash between the Italian ban and the EU rule on the free movement of goods. So far, EFSA (the European food safety authority) has received only one request to approve this kind of product in the EU: lab-grown foie gras from the French startup Gourmey. If such a product were ever approved at EU level, Italy could not block imports from other member states.
Robotic kitchens and ghost kitchens
Robot kitchens automate repetitive steps, such as frying, filling bowls and basic cooking. This saves time and makes results more consistent. They are used from fast food to ghost kitchens, which are kitchens with no dining room, built only for delivery. Circus SE is a key example of robot kitchens. Ghost kitchens went through a shake-out after the pandemic boom. The survivors were mostly those that truly cut fixed costs per order, not those that only bet on growing volume.
AI in restaurants
AI can study sales data to suggest which dishes to promote, drop or reprice, based on real profit and demand. It also helps the planet. Forecasting tools help restaurants and chains order the right amount of ingredients and waste less food. According to the most widely cited global estimates, about a third of all food produced is wasted.
3D food printing
3D food printing is still mostly a niche curiosity. But it has serious uses in two areas. The first is dysphagia, or trouble swallowing, in elderly patients or people with certain conditions. 3D-printed food can be soft while still looking like the original dish. The second is nutrition tailored to each person, which is still being tested.
Traceability: blockchain and smart labels
QR-code labels linked to a blockchain let you trace a product’s whole supply chain: where it comes from, how it was processed and how it travelled. This record cannot be faked. It fits well with Made in Italy and DOP labels. It offers another tool against food fraud and against fake “Italian-sounding” products abroad.
The effect of weight-loss drugs on food
GLP-1 drugs (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and similar) were first made for diabetes. Now they are widely used against obesity. They are clearly changing what people eat. According to Coop Italia’s research office, in their first twelve months on these drugs, Italian shoppers spent over 10% more on fruit, vegetables and protein-rich food. They halved their spending on sugary and high-carb products. Overall, their shopping basket shrank by about 1.1%.
The global food industry is changing its recipes to make them “GLP-1 friendly”. Products are higher in protein, less sweet and come in smaller portions. Some major brands are even reworking recipes to make them tastier for a palate the drug has made less sensitive. This has a direct effect on the profits of Big Food.
FAQ
Is cultivated meat legal in Italy?
No. Law 172/2023 bans making and selling food from animal cell cultures in Italy, with fines of up to €60,000. It is legal in Singapore and the US.
Is vertical farming sustainable?
It depends on the crop. It works well for high-value herbs and microgreens. But it is still weak for cheap crops such as grains, because lighting and climate control cost a lot of energy.
Are weight-loss drugs really changing food consumption?
Yes, in a way we can measure. Coop Italia data shows that people on these drugs spend over 10% more on fruit, vegetables and protein, and less on sugary products.
Are insect proteins widespread in Italy?
They are approved as novel food at EU level. But few shoppers accept them, and they are mainly used in niches such as supplements or animal feed, not in everyday food.
What is a ghost kitchen?
A kitchen that makes food only for delivery. It has no dining room and is not open to the public. Several online brands often share the same space.
The table of 2035
If today’s trends continue, the table of the next decade could mix several kinds of food. Proteins from precision fermentation could sit next to classic meat. Robot kitchens could make a growing share of the meals we eat out. And the food industry could rework its products for shoppers who, helped by drugs, simply eat less. The open question is whether this will lead to a more efficient food system or just a more fragmented one.
Sources
- Law 172/2023 (Italy), ban on producing and marketing food from cell cultures
- EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), status of novel food authorisation requests
- Coop Italia, research office, data on the effect of GLP-1 drugs on food consumption
- Circus SE, industry reference for robotic kitchens
