The Grain Quality & Supply business area has still not fully recovered from the slowdown, which started during the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2025, however, there was strong order growth of over 25% in our Grain Handling business unit. Investments in food security and storage solutions in the Middle East and Africa underpinned a solid order book. Bühler successfully executed large-scale projects, including the continuation of grain storage installations in Iraq and new contracts for silo and handling facilities in West Africa. Another growth driver was the ship loading and unloading business mainly driven by large-scale projects in China.

In the Malting & Brewing business, customers maintained an active project pipeline, although decision-making remained cautious amid uncertain demand. In the Rice Solutions business, orders grew strongly with Bühler’s modular UniLine concept, which continued to gain traction particularly in Africa and Southeast Asia. UniLine enables fast, efficient, and scalable rice processing with significant savings in time, energy, and footprint.

Optical Sorting showed further recovery. The SPARK entry-level sorter, launched in 2024, together with the advanced AI700 optical sorter for oat and cereal applications contributed to growth, especially in South America and Europe. Bühler’s sorting portfolio remains a key differentiator in ensuring product safety and quality along the grain value chain.

Value Nutrition order intake grew, driven by the feed and pasta businesses. The feed segment performed strongly in the Europe, Southeast Asia, and Greater China regions, supported by structural demand for industrially produced protein.

Digital services, such as PelletingPro on Bühler’s digital platforms, continued to gain market traction, helping customers increase yields and throughput, and reduce energy use. Performance Assessment Workshops focusing on performance optimization and energy reduction have attracted strong interest and led to first orders, such as the Z-Mission Energy package for dryers, which can reduce energy consumption by up to 45%.

The pet food business expanded thanks to sustained consumer demand for high-quality products. The retrofit and service segments evolved into key growth drivers, enabling customers to modernize existing assets efficiently.

Pasta solutions also contributed positively, particularly in the Middle East, Africa & India region and the Europe region, benefiting from robust population growth and urbanization trends. Bühler’s Nutrex extrusion platform and Cerex puffing technology – introduction started in 2025 – broadened its portfolio for food and feed applications. Value Nutrition expanded its research and training center offerings by launching an extension at Bühler’s Uzwil research and training center, featuring Bühler-Cerex puffing technology.

In the Consumer Foods business, order intake declined slightly due to the subdued global demand for new plants. The biscuit business performed well, supported by the DirectBake Smart oven and RotaMold Smart molder. These solutions enable flexible, energy-efficient production for biscuits and crackers and have been well received in emerging markets. The wafer business attracted global attention with the launch of the inductively heated OptiBake oven for flat and hollow wafers, engineered to enhance quality, flexibility, and efficiency while reducing energy consumption by up to 50% compared to conventional gas-fired ovens. Two lines are already in operation. The confectionery business recorded a positive development, supported by a major order for two ChocoX modular moulding lines, which increased the project book. Building on the existing platform, the enhanced ChocoX widens end-product volume range and boosts capacity up to 4.5 tonnes per hour with quick changeovers, enables partial-line running with direct mould changeover, cuts compressed air use by 65%, and reduces footprint by 15%. In addition, Consumer Foods strengthened its portfolio with the official market launch of the Bühler OmniCool Smart universal cooling solution, tailored for optimal cooling of products and enrobed goods, like bars, biscuits and wafers.