Retort Machine Market Report 2026

The retort machine market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $1.91 billion in 2025 to $2.06 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to growth in packaged food consumption, expansion of food processing facilities, adoption of thermal sterilization techniques, regulatory focus on food safety standards, industrial use of pressure vessels.

The retort machine market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $2.85 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.5%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to rising demand for ready to eat foods, increasing automation in food processing plants, growth in pharmaceutical sterilization needs, demand for consistent product quality, expansion of global food export markets. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing adoption of automated retort systems, rising demand for energy efficient sterilization equipment, growing use of continuous retort processing lines, expansion of smart monitoring and control in retort machines, increasing focus on food safety and shelf life extension.

The increasing incidence of foodborne diseases is anticipated to drive the growth of the retort machine market in the coming years. Foodborne diseases are illnesses caused by consuming foods or beverages contaminated with microorganisms. Retort machines sterilize and pasteurize packaged foods and drinks, extending shelf life and ensuring safety and quality by inactivating or eliminating disease-causing microbes. For example, in June 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a US-based Department of Health and Human Services agency, reported that infections from major foodborne pathogens were estimated to cause 9.4 million illnesses, 56,000 hospitalizations, and 1,350 deaths annually in the USA. Additionally, in December 2023, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), an Italy-based public agency, highlighted that foodborne zoonotic diseases caused by bacteria such as Campylobacter, Salmonella, Yersinia, E. coli, and Listeria pose a significant global public health challenge, with the European Union reporting over 350,000 cases each year, though the actual number is likely higher. Consequently, the rising prevalence of foodborne diseases is fueling the expansion of the retort machine market.

Key players in the retort machine market are increasingly focusing on introducing retort control software to optimize their market performance. Retort control software is a technological platform that manages and regulates the retort process, which involves sterilizing and preserving food under high pressure and heat in a sealed container. For instance, in April 2023, Surdry North America, a US-based retort machine manufacturer, launched SteriNet21, which received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). SteriNet21 is designed to enhance food quality control and securely record all thermal processing data. It allows operators to remotely access data from the sterilization process, including heat, temperature, and pressure within the chambers, and verify how recipes are executed and handled in retorts. Built on a leading automation software platform, this solution can replicate or replace traditional paper chart recorders, providing comprehensive digital documentation while minimizing the risk of compromising critical retort processing data.

In February 2024, ProMach, a US-based provider of processing, packaging, filling, labeling, and integrated production-line solutions, acquired Zanichelli Meccanica S.p.A. (Zacmi) for an undisclosed amount. Through this acquisition, ProMach aims to expand its food and pet-food processing capabilities by enhancing its portfolio in can filling, seaming, and sterilization-support technologies - areas closely associated with retort applications - and strengthen its ability to deliver fully integrated packaging and retort-compatible production lines. Zacmi is an Italy-based provider of high-quality filling, closing, pasteurization, and sterilization-support equipment.

Major companies operating in the retort machine market are Otsuka Holdings Co. Ltd., STERIS Corporation, Getinge AB, PHC Corporation, JBT Corporation, CFT S.p.A., Fedegari Autoclavi SpA, BMT Medical Technology s.r.o., LTE Scientific Ltd., Steriflow SAS, Systec GmbH, Allpax Products LLC, Cosmed Group Inc., Astell Scientific Ltd., Priorclave Ltd., Nexgen Drying Systems Pvt. Ltd., Benchmark Scientific Inc., Labec, Eschmann Technologies Ltd., Shandong Dingtaisheng Food Industry Equipment Co. Ltd., Lagarde Autoclaves, Surdry SL, Sturdy Industries Limited, Tuttnauer Ltd., Consolidated Machine Corporation, InnovaSter Ltd., Rodwell Autoclave Co. Ltd., Sumpot Machinery Co. Ltd.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the retort machine market in 2025, and is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the retort machine market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the retort machine market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The retort machine market consists of sales of automatic retort machines, rotary retort machines, and double-door retort machines. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is, the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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