Footprint Brings Industry Perspective to the European Foodservice Summit

(September 25, 2026 ) As packaging regulations evolve and customer expectations continue to rise, foodservice operators across Europe are facing increasingly complex decisions.

Those challenges were at the center of discussion during the 2026 European Foodservice Summit (EFSS) in Madrid, where Corey Berends, CEO of Footprint, shared the stage with Gabriel Fysh, Managing Director, Business Development, Europe, and Channing Nuss, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, Europe, for Packaging at a Crossroads, a session focused on the growing intersection of cost, compliance, performance, customer expectations and sustainability.

Throughout the presentation, the team challenged a common assumption that packaging decisions can be evaluated through a single lens. In today's environment, operators must balance multiple priorities at once. Packaging must comply with changing regulations, perform in real-world applications, support the customer experience and make business sense at scale. The presentation explored how foodservice operators can navigate that complexity while reducing risk and creating value beyond compliance.

The event also reflected a broader shift taking place across the industry. As regulations such as the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) move from discussion to implementation, operators are looking beyond claims and commitments and placing greater emphasis on solutions that are proven, scalable and ready to perform in the market today.

More than 300 senior leaders from 25 countries gathered in Madrid, bringing together perspectives from across the European foodservice industry. A consistent theme throughout the event was the growing complexity of packaging decisions as operators work to balance compliance, performance, cost and customer expectations in a rapidly changing environment.

Packaging is no longer viewed solely as a purchasing decision. It has become a business decision with implications across operations, customer experience, compliance and long-term growth.