Nearly 200 trade visitors from around 45 different countries accepted their invitation from KRONEN GmbH and came to the German city of Kehl am Rhein to make the KRONEN Customer Day 2025 a huge success. On September 25 and 26, the machine manufacturer opened the doors of its production halls to host its in-house exhibition featuring an expert forum, where it presented new and well-established solutions for processing fruit, vegetables, herbs, and salad leaves in an exhibition area covering around 3,200 m².

The KRONEN Customer Day 2025 continued the successful tradition established over the past few years and yet again brought together fresh-cut companies from all over the globe in Kehl am Rhein. KRONEN GmbH has already been hosting the two-day event, which has cemented its position as a platform for exchanges, a transfer of knowledge, and the presentation of new solutions, since 2008. The Customer Day was preceded by the International Sales Meeting, at which the global KRONEN representatives familiarized themselves with the latest developments and gained practical insights in intensive training sessions. This year, nearly  200 participants from 45 different countries attended the event to find out more about innovative technologies, well-established machines, and industry trends – and as their feedback shows, the general response to the event was extremely positive (see participant feedback below).

Live demonstrations: new products and well-established technologies in action

In its production halls and showroom in Kehl, KRONEN teamed up with its partners – including iWEIGH, ProMinent, sterilAir, GKS Packaging, and Citrosol – to present a wide range of new and tried-and-tested technologies in an exhibition area covering around 3,200 m². Special highlights included the live practical demonstrations of machines such as:

• a processing line comprising a GS 10-2 belt cutting machine, a HEWA 3800 HELICAL washing machine, and a K650 drying system
• the K850 drying system: which features a large-volume centrifuge for drying cut lettuce, whole leaves, and cut fruit and vegetables that enables it to continuously process up to 5,000 kg of product per hour in a fully automated procedure
• the avocado robot solution: a robot-assisted, automated system for pitting, halving, and peeling avocado and various types of fruit
• the CAP 350 cabbage cutting machine: the upgraded version of the CAP 68 machine launched in 2025, which is able to process even larger cabbage heads efficiently and hygienically thanks to its optimized hygienic design
• the Tona V cutting machine: suitable for flexible use for the precise processing of fruit and vegetables with different cutting options – for producers wanting to combine diversity and efficiency
• the KUJ-Vand KUJ HC-220 cube, strip & slice cutting machines: high-performance machines that cut fruit, vegetables and meat into cubes, strips or slices – in a single operation and with precise and perfect quality, even with very fine cuts
• the Flex L packaging machine: the modular solution for flexible packaging processes that can be seamlessly integrated into different production lines
• the bunker weighing belt and standard trolley weighing system from the KRONEN partner iWEIGH: an innovative conveying and weighing system that guarantees continuous and precise control of the product flow, optimizes the product stream, and increases the efficiency of subsequent processing steps: The standard trolley weighing system presented at the event forms the basis for the controlled, automated filling of 200- and 300-liter standard trolleys to achieve more process reliability and efficiency in industrial processing
• Other classic products were also demonstrated, for example the GS 10-2 and GS 20 belt cutting machines, the KS-100 PLUS vegetable and lettuce spin-dryer, the MPC 100 manual pineapple chunk cutter, the Flex L packaging machine, and the AS 6 and AS 4 apple peeling and cutting machines, and the PL 40K potato peeling machine

Focused expertise: highlights from the KRONEN Forum

Alongside the machine demonstrations, the KRONEN Forum also featured use-oriented presentations by international experts, who provided a practical insight into topics currently impacting the industry: 

• Effective wash water management: In the KRONEN Forum, Martín Mottura from CITROSOL S.A. from Spain highlighted the huge importance of safe and efficient wash water management when it comes to quality and food safety in the fresh-cut industry. He explained how microorganisms in wash water can not only reduce product shelf life but also pose a risk for product safety.
  With the KRONEN Citrocide® system, he presented a solution that enables reliable disinfection of the wash water with permanent real-time control – and with no formation of undesired by-products. For visitors from the field of fruit, vegetable, and salad processing, this solution represents an approach that can be directly applied to guarantee maximum hygiene standards, use water more efficiently, and reliably comply with legal requirements. As a result, processing not only becomes safer but is also more sustainable and cost-effective. The solution is approved for use in organic farming and organic food production under EU and U.S. standards.

• Modern weighing technology for more control in production: Menno Jongsma from iWEIGH B.V. from the Netherlands provided a practical insight into how modern weighing technology plays an essential role in improving the control of production processes in food processing. He revealed how continuous data logging, precise process control, and automation enable companies to improve both efficiency and precision. In concrete terms, this means fewer ‘giveaways’, consistent product quality, and better traceability. iWEIGH additionally presented future prospects such as AI-based evaluations, machine learning for fault recognition, and IoT connections. These developments help producers of fruit, vegetables, and salad products future-proof their systems and secure their competitive edge in a highly cost-driven market. The benefits for the target group: more accurate process control, reduced loss, and more transparency in production.

• Cleanliness in compressed air systems: focusing on hygiene and air quality: Björn Prinz fromSMC Germany revealed that although it is an essential element in many production processes, compressed air is often underestimated as a hygiene factor. He explained how impurities such as oil, particles, or microorganisms can not only impair product quality but also damage machines. Based on the international standard ISO 8573-1:2010, he presented practical measures that food processing companies can take to effectively clean, monitor, and control their compressed air systems. Such measures offer clear added value for the trade visitors from the food processing industry who attended his talks, namely higher process reliability, longer machine lifespans, fewer downtimes, more energy efficiency, and, all in all, optimized life-cycle costs. For facilities that process delicate products such as fresh salad leaves or cut vegetables in particular, clean compressed air is an essential factor for consistently high-quality results and safe, reliable production.

• Real-time quality control of wash water: In their presentation, Uta Schnabel and Prof. Jörg Ehlbeck from the INP Greifswald institute demonstrated how research projects contribute practical innovations to the field of food processing. Their main focus was the real-time monitoring of wash water, where new measurement techniques enable continuous detection of microbiological and chemical contamination, early identification of risks, and instant process control. For processors of fruit, vegetables, and salad leaves, this means higher product safety, more efficient use of water and energy, and seamless documentation for retailers and authorities. The speakers also presented the project SPLASH, which is developing innovative washing procedures and resource-friendly processing solutions to make fresh-cut production more sustainable.

An industry gathering with added value: presentation of the “KRONEN Award“ 

Alongside the presentations on technology and the transfer of knowledge, the KRONEN Customer Day 2025 also focused on personal dialog. One of the highlights of the event was the celebratory Evening with KRONEN held at the Orangerie in the Calamus-Areal on September 25, which featured the presentation of the KRONEN Award. This year, the award was presented to the following winners:

• Largest Single Order: KayDee Solutions L.L.C., UAE

• Top Revenue Performer 2024/2025: Industrade, France

• Most Successful Salesperson: Hans Vos, Synergy Systems B.V., Netherlands

The following day, the event was drawn to a close with a group visit to the Oktoberfest celebration at the Europa-Park Rust. The KRONEN Customer Day has been a fixed date in the calendar for more than 15 years, and in 2025, the event yet again provided participants with the ideal platform for information, advice, and networking, as well as offering them another opportunity to experience innovative solutions live and in person. 

”We are delighted about the excellent response to our Customer Day 2025. The event not only offers us the opportunity to present new technologies but also enables us to maintain our direct connection and communication with our customers and partners. After all, only in dialog with the industry can we develop solutions that master the current challenges in the field of fruit, vegetable, salad, and herb processing with such a practical and future-oriented approach,” stated Stephan Zillgith, Managing Director of KRONEN.

Participant feedback:

David Gomez, Practi Fruit, Colombia: 
“I accepted KRONEN’s invitation to attend today’s Customer Day. It is a really good opportunity to get to know all the machines and the entire range of technology available from KRONEN.” 

Guido Schmidt, GO Hallyu GmbH, Germany:  
“It was a great experience. Being able to stand by the machine with my own product, see what it can do, and have all my questions answered by the on-site experts is extremely beneficial. We are currently advancing from the start-up phase to the next stage and are trying to invest our funds really well in high-quality machines – and I think we may well have found what we’re looking for here.” 

Camilo Tamayo, The Green Batch Inc., Panama: 
“Being here at the KRONEN facility and seeing all the new technologies and machines was a wonderful experience. We are very grateful for this opportunity.” 

Uusitalo Satu, Alitalon Vihannes, Finland: 
“The evening program was a really chilled event. You can feel the energy here – it’s simply wonderful. Everyone is so happy to see each other, and I am truly delighted to be part of the ‘KRONEN family’.” 

Francesca Silva Rodriguez, VERMI SAC, Peru: 
“I have a processing facility in Peru that was founded 30 years ago, and in 2016, we purchased our first processing line. When it comes to KRONEN machines, I like the fact that they still look brand new even after so many years – the quality is unbelievable. The machines work extremely well and are quick to clean and maintain. I am extremely pleased with them.” 

View the video and photo gallery of the event: www.kronen.eu/customer-day-2025

About KRONEN GmbH

KRONEN is a family-managed, globally operating producer and supplier of stand-alone machines, special-purpose machines, and high-tech processing facilities for the fresh-cut industry. The product portfolio of KRONEN and its partners covers fruit, vegetable, and salad leaf processing: from preparing, cutting, washing, drying, dewatering, peeling, and sterilizing right through to packaging. KRONEN additionally offers machines for the processing of meat and fish, special vegan products, baked goods, and pet food.
The company, which is based in Kehl am Rhein, Germany, and has a second production site in the nearby city of Achern, currently employs more than 130 members of staff, has representatives in over 80 countries worldwide, and supplies its products to more than 120 nations all over the globe.
With more than 45 years of experience in food technology, KRONEN prides itself on its quality awareness and constantly strives to achieve the best possible solutions in its day-to-day work. The machine manufacturer focuses on taking a sustainable, holistic approach toward the hygienic, reliable, and resource-friendly production of fresh foods. KRONEN considers itself to be a think tank that provides innovative solutions to benefit its customers and meet all their needs. It guarantees top-quality advice and planning expertise in close cooperation with the industry and research establishments.

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Do you require more or other material? We are happy to help! Feel free to contact us here: presse@kronen.eu, T +49 7854 9646-160 / -161.