University of Pécs and Flavourtech partner to deliver a successful SUMMA conference

4 6 月 2026

On May 20, the SUMMA International Conference and Professional Day was held at the Research Institute for Viticulture and Oenology at the University of Pécs (PTE SZBKI) in Hungary. As part of a collaboration agreement with the University of Pécs, Flavourtech, along with other local and international experts, shared our experience on the future of alcohol-free wine, innovations in dealcoholisation technologies, and changing consumer trends.

With demand for no- and low-alcohol (NOLO) beverages growing globally, PTE SZBKI has formulated a strategic goal to introduce related scientific and practical solutions in Hungary, with the central question of this year’s SUMMA Conference being: Can alcohol-free Hungarian wine be competitive?

The event was opened by Zoltán Madaras, President of PTE SZBKI, who highlighted: The work of the past six years is coming to fruition today. He emphasised that consumer habits are changing, which is why research and innovation play an important role in the development of alcohol-free wines.

Győző Schmidt, a member of the presidency of the National Council of Mountain Villages, said in his welcoming speech that the amount of wine consumed per capita is decreasing, while the market for non-alcoholic products is showing a growing trend. He spoke about the various generations viewing wine differently, often believing that it no longer fits into a health-conscious lifestyle, and that the lack of knowledge related to wine often discourages young people from buying it. For this reason, he believes that non-alcoholic products can represent a new market opportunity and development direction for the Hungarian wine industry.

Flavourtech’s Leon Skaliotis introduced our dealcoholisation technologies, including the renowned Spinning Cone Column (SCC), which removes alcohol at low temperatures while preserving the aromas and quality of the wine. Participants at the conference later experienced a guided wine tasting of NOLO wine made by István Ipacs Szabó, the chief winemaker of PTE SZBKI, and dealcoholised using the SCC.

The conference also touched on the health science and consumer side. Presentations addressed current trends in conscious nutrition, the medical potential of alcohol-free wine products, and consumer decision-making mechanisms.

Dr Mária Törőcsik, lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Pécs, gave a presentation on consumer trends and decision-making mechanisms, saying that traditional wine consumption is decreasing due to health awareness, mobility and new social habits, while interest in non-alcoholic and alternative beverages is growing. Attention was drawn to the fact that the effects of digitalisation, artificial intelligence, economic crises and social uncertainty could further shape consumer decisions. Producers were encouraged to adapt through the use of more precise positioning and differentiated marketing instead of traditional mass-marketing.

The research presented at SUMMA 2026 through our collaboration with the University of Pécs will continue to evolve into the future with a joint aim of producing the highest quality Hungarian zero-alcohol wines.