Photo: IEG

Six key characteristics indicate the future of sweet foodservice: quality, Italian spirit, innovation, expertise, design and passion. A constantly expanding sector and two expos that, edition after edition, grow from the point of view of both dimensions and exhibitor and visitor quality: over 200,000 professional visitors, 33,000 buyers from 187 countries, led by Spain, Germany and France, but also numerous countries from Asia and the Americas, starting with Chinaand the United States. These are the record figures of Sigep, the International Trade Show ofArtisan Gelato, Pastry, Bakery and the Coffee World, which this year reached its 41^st edition, and A.B. Tech Expo, 6^th Exhibition of technology and products for bakery, pastry and confectionery, which ended after an extraordinary edition. The two Italian Exhibition Group expos, inaugurated on Saturday by the Minister for Cultural Assets, Activities and Tourism Dario Franceschini, began the year confirming their role as a powerful driving force for the development of an industry based on artisan skills and quality and which represents the best of Italy’s confectionery tradition in the world.

Photo: IEG

Sigep and A.B. Tech Expo at the beginning of the year further strengthened their role as an unmissable appointment at which the sector’s trends are defined. The place where business, internationality, competitions and professional updating meet. 1,250 exhibitors from over 30 countries concluded business deals and grasped important visions of the sector’s future in the129,000 square metres of Rimini Expo Centre.

Photo: CTI

And to ensure an additional observation point onsweet food service, this year Vision Plaza was launched: not only a place, but also a think tank, which over the five expo days hosted crowded talk shows at which the sector’s experts shared their vision of how consumers’ habit are changing, what the out-of-home trends are and what innovations will effect the coming year. From this point of view, the Vision Plaza was an appreciated direction-finder on a global market that is continually evolving, in particular at breakfast time.

Sigep and A.B. Tech Expo support their client companies thanks also to partnerships with the major trade associations: Acomag and UIF-Gruppo Prodotti per Gelato, Consorzio Sipan,Italmopa, Aibi-Assitol, SCA-Specialty Coffee Association and Fipe Confcommercio. There is also increasingly close collaboration with the ITAItalian Trade Agency for the activity of incoming trade members and professionals and communication campaigns on the major target markets.

Photo: CTI

IEG’s next appointments for the Food & Beverage supply chain: Beer&Food Attraction and BBTech Expo from 15^th to 18^th February 2020 at Rimini Expo Centre. Golositalia from 22^nd to 26^thFebruary 2020 at Montichiari exhibition centre (Brescia). Cosmofood from 7^th to 11^th November 2020 at Vicenza expo centre.

The next edition of SIGEP will be held at Rimini from 16^th to 20^th January 2021.