FAM STUMABO helping navigate labor scarcity
FAM STUMABO helping navigate labor scarcity
As the first major industry checkpoint of the year, Fruit Logistica provided a clear snapshot of the priorities shaping food and fresh produce processing in 2026. For FAM STUMABO, the exhibition was an opportunity to engage in strategic dialogue with processors across fresh-cut fruit and vegetables, foodservice and prepared foods, exploring its operational challenges and investment priorities for the year ahead.
“Labor scarcity stopped being cyclical. Processors now assume permanent difficulty in recruiting and retaining skilled operators. This structural acceleration drives demand for automation, integrated lines, and machines that reduce manual handling and operator dependency,” said Guy Baeten, strategic director at FAM STUMABO.
Across conversations at Fruit Logistica, a consistent picture emerged: pressures that once appeared temporary have become structural. Labor scarcity is now a permanent constraint. Automation becomes more and more important. Customers increasingly expect cutting solutions to integrate seamlessly with infeed, inspection and downstream processes to ensure consistency, production speed and predictability. Human errors must be avoided at all costs; cut shape adjustments and/or tool changes must be easy and straightforward. Quality consistency has become a non-negotiable requirement.
Processors are also navigating increasing SKU fragmentation, shorter production runs and greater variability in raw materials across seasons, origins or suppliers.
In this environment, cutting is no longer viewed as a mechanical step. It has become a critical driver of quality, yield and downstream performance. Uniform cuts and controlled cell damage directly influence shelf life, visual appeal and processing stability, making cutting precision central to protecting margins and brand value as throughput increases and raw materials vary.
In today’s cautious investment climate, processors increasingly prioritize predictability and proof over novelty and avoid complexity whenever possible. Investment decisions are driven by validated outcomes, realistic performance commitments and technologies that reduce operational and financial risk.
FAM STUMABO’s discussions at Fruit Logistica confirmed this shift. Customers are looking for partners with deep application knowledge who can analyze their specific situation. They want to test solutions on their own products and validate performance before committing to an investment. Processed products must be delivered on time, every day.
“Test labs and customer trials allow processors to move from assumptions to evidence. They can validate cut quality, yield, throughput and product behavior on their own raw materials,” Baeten said.
This consultative approach underpins FAM STUMABO’s positioning as a solution provider rather than a machine supplier. The company delivers complete cutting solutions built around product behavior, target geometry and line conditions, supported by modular platforms that allow customers to grow step by step. Machines and blades are designed and produced in-house, ensuring full control over cutting geometry, quality and performance across fruit, vegetables, potatoes and other food applications.
“As we move into 2026, FAM STUMABO’s role centers on helping processors translate product ideas and market demand into repeatable, industrial reality,” Baeten said. “Our company’s value lies in combining cutting technology with deep application insight, so processors achieve predictable output, protected yield, and consistent quality at scale.”
