Valuable connections at VIV Europe

High-quality visitors from far beyond Europe

Even before the official opening at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday 2 June, customers from the Middle East and Africa were already eager to engage with our sales team and agents. Right from the start, our JBT Marel Poultry stand welcomed a steady flow of decision-makers and industry professionals.

Open and spacious

A dedicated 'arch entrance' from the main hall led straight to the JBT Marel stand, offering a prime and recognizable presence to the people entering the exhibition. The stand itself was designed to offer an open and spacious experience, guiding visitors smoothly along the displayed equipment.

Visitors were able to explore a broad portfolio of high-tech solutions, including VC-i, ATHENA, ALPINE, WingMaster, the DSI Waterjet Cutter, SensorX, and SingleFeed. These systems attracted strong interest from customers looking to improve efficiency, yield, and product quality in their operations.

Strong interest with long-term potential

The highly positive energy among our customers throughout the three days lasted right up to the very last moment. While overall visitor numbers were good, the quality of the conversations stood out. Many attendees represented companies with clear investment plans and long-term growth ambitions. While overall visitor numbers were good, the quality of the conversations stood out. Many attendees represented companies with clear investment plans and long-term growth ambitions. Senior sales director Mathieu van Dongen said, "Maybe not every table is occupied at all times, but that is not the point. What matters is the quality of the customers who are there. With them, we have good, in-depth conversations that offer a lot of perspective when it comes to future orders. That is far more valuable than a large number of non-committal touchpoints. In the end, the quality of visitors counts, not the quantity."

OQULA makes its debut

One of the main highlights at the stand was the introduction of OQULA, a new AI-supported inspection system for chicken breast fillets. OQULA checks fillets on both sides for visual defects such as bruises and blood spots, fat, green muscle disease, halving errors, and visible bones or cartilage. Using advanced visual sensors on two lanes, the system analyzes each side of the product before and after automatic flipping. Based on the inspection results, OQULA classifies fillets into different quality streams, allowing A-grade products to continue directly while B-grades are routed to trimming.

Virtual Hub attracts attention

Another key attraction was the Virtual Hub. This immersive 3D environment allows visitors to experience complete processing lines in a virtual processing plant setting. Different configurations can be shown on request, such as a complete evisceration line or a cut-up line with Q-Wing integrated, all with the ability to zoom in on specific components. The Virtual Hub makes it possible to demonstrate complex solutions that cannot be shown in a video or physically displayed at an exhibition.

VIV Europe 2026 proved to be a valuable platform to showcase JBT Marel at its best, launch innovations, share new ideas, and connect with poultry processing professionals from around the world. Arie Tulp, SVP and GM Poultry EMEA, said, "If I rate our presence here on a scale from one to ten, it is a ten plus. This is one of our best shows ever.

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