Now with record numbers, Host2015 is increasingly the leader in the sectors that are symbols of socializing

Gelato/Pastry, Coffee/Tea, with the traditional International Coffee Event (SIC), increasing the space by +40%, and the Bar/Coffee machines/Vending sector are both examples of Italian excellence which, thanks to Host2015, are even greater protagonists of the global economy, thanks to the unique international dimension of the event.

If people the world over refer to ice cream as ‘gelato’, using the Italian word or, when they have a coffee when they’re out, usually order an ‘espresso’, there must be a reason. The answer lies in the sheer ability that companies in the sector have shown, transforming our great socializing tradition into a leading industry on a global scale, both from the food point of view, using quality ingredients, and in terms of goal-oriented machinery.
Leadership that is reflected in HostMilano – the International Hospitality Exhibition, happening this year at the Fieramilano fairground in Rho from Friday 23rd to Tuesday 27th October, the world’s most important exhibition for the HO.RE.CA., foodservice, retail, large-scale distribution and hotel industries.

In fact, of the three synergic macro-areas which form the unique exhibition concept, the one comprising Coffee/Tea (including SIC – the International Coffee Event), Bar/Coffee machines/Vending and Gelato-Pastry plays a key role, together with the areas focusing on Food Service Equipment and Bread/Pasta/Pizza and Furniture and Tableware.
In particular, the event being staged by SIC, which has increased the exhibition space by +40%, is pointing to its historic record as an international benchmark for the segment on an even more global scale. The many new entries from Italy and abroad include companies like Alpro, Althaus Tea, Andaluza De Cafes, Cafento, Caffè Diemme, Caffè Molinari, Caffè Moreno, Cellini Caffè, Filicori Zecchini, Hardy, Nordic Approach, Pelican Rouge Coffee Roasters, Pompadour Tè and Tupinamba, enhancing the already dense portfolio of regular protagonists such as ARC – Aziende Riunite Caffè, Blaser Trading, Cafes Malongo, Cafes Novell, L’Aromatika, Caffè Cagliari, Caffè Carraro, Caffè Ottolina, Caffitaly System, Casa Del Caffè Vergnano, Club Kavè, Corsino Corsini, Costadoro, Covim, Danesi Caffè, Gimoka, Goppion Caffè, Hausbrandt Trieste 1892, illycaffè, Imperator, Kimbo, Luigi Lavazza, Loring Smart Roast, Torrefazione Moka Sir’s, Monin, Neuhaus Neotec, Opem, Pellini Caffè, PROBAT-Werke, Sandalj Trading Company, Teisseire France,  Torrefazione Portioli and Trismoka.

Figures for the Bar/Coffee machines/Vending sector are equally impressive. Numerous longstanding and prestigious names will be attending the exhibition, as well as new names, including Birrificio Antoniano, Blendtec, Bugatti, Celli, Flo, Giesen Coffee Roaster, Lauretana, Metro Italia Cash & Carry, Sanden International Europe, Sorgente Valcimoliana and Acqua Dolomia, in addition to the list of traditional participants such as Bianchi Vending, Bravilor Bonamat, Brema Ice Makers, CMA Macchine per Caffè, Carimali, Ceado, Crem International Spain, Dalla Corte, Eureka–Conti Valerio, Franke Kaffeemaschinen, Gaggia, Gruppo Cimbali,  Hoshizaki Europe, ISI, ITV Ice Makers, La Marzocco, La San Marco, La Spaziale, Melitta Professional Coffee Solutions, Macap, N&W Global Vending, Nuova Simonelli, Rancilio Group, Rhea Vendors Group, Sanremo, Schaerer, Scanomat, Scotsman Ice Systems, Frimont, Sielaff GmbH & Co. and KG Automatenbau, Thermoplan, Unic, Wega Macchine per Caffè, Vema, WMF Group, Elektra, BFC and Vitamix.

The sector of Gelato-Pastry – where Italy is the undisputed world leader and heads the trend towards internationalization of equipment  –  will be attending Host2015 with all the quality ingredients for creating superlative gelato, desserts and chocolate, with refrigerated counters and all the different types of machinery that encourage more creative, more original processing. There will also be a dedicated space for products to make yoghurt, soft gelato and chocolate.

The top Italian and international players in the sector will be there in the macro-area: Alcas, Anselli, Babbi, Bras Internazionale, Bravo, Bussy, Carpigiani Group - Ali, Cartoprint, Cesarin, Chocolaterie Monbana, CIAM, Comprital, Crystal Freezers&Coolers, Distillerie Camel, Elenka, Fabbri 1905, Frigomat, Frigomeccanica, Galatea, Gel-Matic Italia, IFI, Ipsa, Isa, José Julio Jordão, Lacteos Industriales Agrupados, Krampouz, Leagel, Martellato, Optima - Mec3, Mussana Montapanna, Hans Kratt Maschinenfabrik, Novacart, Nutkao, Pavoni Italia, PCB Creation,  Pomati Group, Pregel, Prodotti Rubicone, Scatolificio del Garda, Scotton, S.P.M. Drink Systems, Selmi, Silikomart, Taddia, Telme, Toschi Vignola, Ugolini, Ugur Sogutma Makinalari, Unigrà and Valmar Global.

There will also be many exciting events that will help to make Host2015 a privileged observatory on future trends. From contests like the World Trophy of Pastry, Ice cream and Chocolate and the Cake Designers World Championship organized by FIP – the Italian Federation of Pastry Gelato and Chocolate, at the Arena Dolce, promoted by FIPE – the Italian Retail Business Federation, with the top masters of these arts demonstrating their experience live in three distinct areas (Typical desserts, Pastry - chocolate and Gelato).

The following countries have already enrolled for the cake design contest: Ukraine, Sweden, Serbia, Russia, Italy, Spain, Venezuela, Switzerland, Norway, Japan, France, Hungary, Cuba, Tunisia, Peru, and the U.S.A.; those who have entered the World Trophy of Pastry, Ice cream and Chocolate are as follows: Italy, France, Greece, Cyprus, Spain, Japan, Turkey, Poland, Algeria, Rumania, Mexico, Thailand, Austria, Tunisia, Chile and Peru. As a corollary to the championships, the master chefs present will give demonstrations of their artistic skill.

And there’s more. Also taking place in the Arena Dolce promoted by FIPE - the Italian Retail Business Federation, Master Gelato chefs will be taking part in a dense program, with a pace worthy of television, to demonstrate the myriad ways in which chocolate can be used. They will also be trying to break the record of the Guinness Book of Records for the greatest number of tubs of ice cream with different chocolate-based flavors. Champion pastry chefs, on the other hand, will be tackling the Milanese cake par excellence, the Panettone, partly as a tribute to Expo, reflecting the Universal Exposition’s aims to spread information about typical, unique types of local food on an international scale.

The training sessions realized with CPC – the Coffee Promotion Consortium and UCIMAC--the sector of ASSOFOODTEC representing Italian manufacturers of espresso coffee machines and equipment for bars--promise to be  particularly innovative and original, like the expertise they aim to pass on. The multidisciplinary event will be held in a special area called “Coffee District” and will involve top experts from the coffee world, research institutes and international organizations.

The aim is to disseminate and promote the culture of coffee, with an in-depth look at subjects of the utmost importance, such as national and international market trends and the future scenario, with a particular focus on coffee capsules and pods, and to present the data resulting from a survey conducted by Astra Ricerche about the relationship between coffee and well-being.

At the challenge entitled “What it Takes to Be Great - WBC All-Stars”, organized in partnership with World Coffee Events, top international baristas will be conducting spectacular hands-on training. Meanwhile, expertise is at the center of the meetings arranged by the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe, ending with “Enjoy the Table”, the event that brings coffee culture to the table, curated by ALTOGA - the Association of Lombardy coffee roasters, coffee importers and wholesale food retailers, and ART - the Association of Arts of the Table and Gifts.  The excellence of coffee will be the star of the “Barista Bonanza”, an initiative organized by SCAE – the Speciality Coffee Association Europe, with a  dynamic Coffee Stage where the public can interact with top baristas and experts. Food and beverage managers will be the focus of the events staged in a lounge dedicated specially to them by the trade association AIFBM, the Italian Food & Beverage Manager Association and the Locali Topmagazine, while Mixer Educational, promoted by Mixer, with the collaboration of Planet One, will be proposing new ways of interpreting mixability.

Overall, the sectors represented in the macro-areas constitute an important slice of the HO.RE.CA. sector, including many Italian firms at the top.

In the Espresso Coffee machine segment, in 2014, ANIMA-Assofoodtec has calculated a turnover of 394 million euro (+2.3% over 2013) which, in 2015, will almost reach the record figure of 400 (398 million) thanks to a further rise of +1%. Exports are performing even better, having increased last year by +3.3% compared to 2013 to 284 million (72% of the total), a percentage which the sector is likely to maintain this year, reaching 286 million, with another increase of +0.7%. With imports equal to only 17.9 million euro, in 2014, the segment also broke a record in the balance of trade, a positive figure of 386 million euro. The markets which improved most include Taiwan (+101%), China (+51%), South Korea (+44%) and Thailand (+34%), but more traditional markets such as Austria (+22%), the U.S.A. (+21%) and the U.K. (+20%) also reported significant increases.

In the Machinery for Ice cream sector, in 2014, ANIMA-Assofoodtec reported a turnover of 318 million euro, +2.6% over 2013, and, for 2015, has estimated further growth of +0.9% to 321 million euro. Last year exports accounted for 73% (233 million euro) of business volumes whereas, for the current year, exports are expected to rise to 74% (239 million), approximately three quarters of the total.

The segment of plant for the Confectionery Industry ended 2014 with an overall turnover of more than 120 million euro (121.5) deriving almost entirely from exports (94%, equal to 114.5 million euro). These figures are expected to be confirmed this year, with an even higher contribution from exports (95%). Some of the most eager markets to buy Italian machines are China (+149%), Japan (+104%), South Africa (+93%) but also traditional markets such as Canada (+99%), Spain (+42%) and Germany (+34%).

Italy is still an important supplier of ingredients: the turnover of the Italian coffee industry is estimated by the  CIC – the Italian Coffee Committee, to be 3.1 billion euro, with more than 700 coffee roasting companies providing employment for 7,000 workers. Italy is the third-largest exporter of roasted coffee in Europe. 70% of its markets are outside Europe, especially the U.S.A., Russia and Australia, but more recently, also the Gulf States and China. Portioned coffee (capsules and pods) accounts for almost one third of the total (982 million) and has grown by +5.3% in Italy and by +17.6% on foreign markets.

Craft gelato is also performing well: according to data published by AIIPA – the Italian Association of Food Product Industries, 29 thousand ice-cream parlors have their own gelato workshop (excluding retailers who merely sell ice cream), a European record, whereas, outside Italy, there are 20 thousand Italian craft ice cream workshops. Ice cream consumption in Italy exceeds 360 thousand tons a year, that is, about 6 kg per person.

For further information about Host: www.host.fieramilano.it, @HostMilano, #Host2015.