What's next for consumer products? Find out at AVEVA World Milan

Posted: May 07, 2026

The old models for predicting consumer behavior no longer apply to today’s landscape. McKinsey reports that consumer sentiment has decoupled from consumer spending.^[1] Even as consumers report pessimism about the economic outlook, they continue to spend at an unprecedented rate^[2] And disruption has become a persistent feature of global supply chains. Together, these shifts are reshaping both demand and supply, making them harder to predict and even harder to manage.

The consumer products industry is confronting a once-in-a-century moment of transition. Competitive advantage increasingly depends on how quickly companies can respond to change—if they can collect and harness the right data. This year, at AVEVA World Milan, industry leaders are gathering to share the strategies already delivering results.

Knowledge gaps stand in the way of value creation  

To realize the potential of the moment, companies need to close the visibility gaps across their value chains. For many firms, though, application and data silos — especially at the plant and fleet level — remain the norm, which leads to inconsistent and incomplete information. The integration work required to bridge these silos is costly and resource-intensive—and it has to happen before technologies like real-time data sharing or AI can even be deployed, slowing adoption of the very tools the industry needs most.

Consumer products manufacturers are also grappling with a talent and skills gap. It’s not merely that there aren’t enough workers. Deloitte projects 1.9 million positions will go unfilled in the US alone over the next ten years, but also that the core skills are rapidly changing^[3] According to the World Economic Forum, almost 40% of advanced manufacturing’s core skills will have changed by 2030^[4]

Top-of-mind questions and the real-world stories you’ll hear at AVEVA World

The question consumer products manufacturers are asking now isn’t whether they need to change to meet the moment. They’re asking how to do it effectively. How can they harness their data to compete in this new environment?

AVEVA World Milan is bringing together the sector’s leading firms to discuss the strategies they’re using to navigate uncertainty in the market. You’ll hear how they approached challenges your organization may face—and the results they’ve achieved. Here’s a preview of what some leading manufacturers will be discussing this year:

• Alesayi Beverage Corporation unified its data ecosystem with a single platform, minimizing waste and reducing energy costs. The leading Saudi Arabian bottling company will discuss how it used  AVEVA™ Manufacturing Execution System to achieve smarter, more efficient, and more sustainable operations.
• Lavazza’s flagship Settimo Torinese facility is one of the world's largest coffee roasting plants—and a model for modernization at scale. Learn how they increased productivity and operational flexibility without compromising quality standards, while partnering with Schneider Electric and AVEVA.
• Norsk Kylling is building the world’s most sustainable poultry value chain. Learn how it used AVEVA software to unify its data environment and enable real-time monitoring, traceability, and optimization across its enterprise.

Community groups built for consumer products

Alongside company presentations, we have roundtables and community groups that offer perspectives on the present and future of the industry, including:

Digital maturity in action: Scaling MES from first steps to multi-site standardization
Scaling MES across multiple sites is rarely straightforward. Hear from manufacturers navigating the real challenges — from early implementation to enterprise-wide standardization.

Consumer products community group
Curious how your peers are making use of data, models, and AI? At this interactive community session, you’ll trade ideas with industry leaders about optimizing energy usage and improving overall efficiency. Hear how Cargill is using AVEVA™ PI System™ to better manage alarms, and how Lesaffre deployed it across 30 non-standardized global sites in four years — for significant results.

Get inspired, get involved, take the road to future success 

It’s an uncertain time in consumer products—and an exciting time too. The industry’s future is still taking shape, and you can help define it. Join us in Milan, May 19–21, connect with peers, exchange ideas, and get inspired. Together, we’re tackling the industry’s biggest 2026 challenges head‑on.

^{[1] Becca Coggins, Christina Adams, Kari Alldredge, Alyssa Hopcus, Laura Bucklin, and Justin Shamoun, “State of the Consumer 2025: When disruption becomes permanent,” McKinsey, 8 June 2025. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/state-of-consumer
[2]  Ezra Greenberg, Kelsey Robinson, Olivia White, and Tamara Charm, “The ‘value now’ consumer: Making sense of US consumer sentiment and spending,“ McKinsey, 13 January 2025. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/the-value-now-consumer-making-sense-of-us-consumer-sentiment-and-spending.
[3]  Michael Schlotterbeck, Lisa Bretschneider, John Marth, and David Sweetman, “2025 Deloitte Manufacturing Trends: From a Workday Lens,” Deloitte, 21 July 2025. https://www.deloitte.com/global/en/alliances/workday/perspectives/deloitte-manufacturing-trends-from-a-workday-lens.html
[4]  Kiva Allgood and Fernando Perez, “Empowering Frontlines: Retaining, Training and Upskilling Industrial Workforce,” World Economic Forum, September 2025. https://www.weforum.org/publications/empowering-frontlines-retaining-training-and-upskilling-industrial-workforce/}