The countdown has begun to the 46th edition of SIGEP World - The World Expo for Foodservice Excellence, the professional, global-leading event specifically for technologies and ingredients for gelato, the Italian frozen dessert, and for the best selection for pastry, bakery, coffee and, as of this edition, also the world of pizza.
Every year, the show, organized by Italian Exhibition Group attracts tens of thousands of operators - importers, distributors, chains and public establishments - from as many as 160 countries, including the United States. 2025’s show will take place from January 18th to January 22nd at Rimini Expo Centre.
Flavia Morelli, Group Exhibition Manager Food&Beverage Division at IEG, answers some questions about what’s to come.
Q: What will the coming edition of SIGEP World look like?
A: It will be a visionary and innovative edition, starting from the pay-off that has now become “SIGEP World - The World Expo for Foodservice Excellence,” where the term ‘world’ highlights the global centrality of our event, which has recently been joined by two new satellite shows in markets of enormous potential such as southern China and Singapore. The 46th edition confirms the four major supply chains: gelato (where SIGEP World is the number one exhibition in the world with the most complete offer of technologies, ingredients, semi-finished products and equipment); pastry; bakery; and chocolate and coffee. New entries will include a large area dedicated to pizza: SIGEP World is expanding its offer with ovens, flours, toppings and equipment for pizzerias and chains, thus becoming a reference point for this community. By extending the product range, SIGEP World 2025 will be the largest edition ever with 138,000 square meters of exhibition space and the opening of two new halls.
Q:What are the main innovations that differentiate SIGEP World 2025 from previous editions?
A: As I was saying, the inclusion of pizza in the product range will be accompanied by demos and talks and the World Pizza Champion Games competition, where the greatest pizza chefs from all over the world will be competing in 17 different categories. A second important focus of this 46th edition will be sustainability. In fact, we will be launching the Sustainability District, a project dedicated to promoting sustainable practices along the coffee and cocoa supply chains. The presence of countries of origin such as Ecuador, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Venezuela, Colombia, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, the Ivory Coast and Kenya, will further enrich the initiative, offering a unique opportunity to promote the origins of coffee and cocoa, build ethical relationships along the supply chain and raise awareness among operators. The Sustainability District will include three projects: the Micro Roaster Village, where micro-roasters will present visitors with their unique blends and reveal the latest trends in coffee sourcing, handling, roasting, preparation and distribution, as well as allow them to taste high quality coffee. The second project is Bean To Bar, an area that will explain the production process from the cocoa bean to the final product. A place where craftsmanship, with the support of the most advanced technologies, transforms chocolate into pure excellence.
Lastly, a large area will feature Fully Automated Coffee Machinery, or rather, a selection of super-automatic coffee machines that, under the banner of sustainability, represent the sector’s future.
The third focus of this edition will be foodservice technologies: the latest innovations in terms of machines and equipment for the entire catering world, from gelato parlours to cafés, restaurants and pizzerias, will be on display.
Q: SIGEP World is a global exhibition that, every year, attracts visitors from all over the world, including the United States. What expectations do you have on the international front?
A: Expectations are very high. In recent months we have worked with our network of regional advisors and ITA-Italian Trade Agency to attract top buyers from strategic markets to Rimini, especially foodservice distributors, chains, catering companies and hotel groups. To date, the countries numerically most present are the United States, followed by India and Brazil.
In fact, 520 top buyers from 91 countries have already joined our Top Buyer Programme. Besides the main European countries, we will be welcoming as many as 80 buyers from North America (United States and Canada), an increase of 30% compared to the last edition.
Thanks to our Premium Program, 2,500 top European buyers have already confirmed their attendance at SIGEP World, in particular from Germany, Spain, Romania, France, Great Britain, Croatia, Greece, Poland, Slovenia and Serbia.
A new initiative on the international front will also be the Guest Country project: starting with this coming edition, we aim to spotlight a specific country every year. The Guest Country for 2025 will be Saudi Arabia, a market with enormous potential that, thanks to huge investments, is making significant progress in the tourism and hospitality sector in an attempt to position itself as an international tourist destination.
Q: On the US side, which of the most important associations and companies will be in attendance?
A: The 46th edition of SIGEP World will be attended by Nicra - North American Ice Cream Association and the North American Pizza & Culinary Academy. In reference to American buyers, I am pleased to say that some large groups will be taking part in SIGEP World 2025: BiRite Foodservice Distributors, a company based in Brisbane, California, that supplies a wide range of products and services to the food and catering sector; IHOP - International House of Pancakes, with over 1,600 points of sale worldwide and 1,500 distribution sites spread across 50 US states; Bloomin' Brands Affiliate, a restaurant holding company that owns several American casual dining chains including Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar and Aussie Grill by Outback; Marcos Franchising LLC, a pizza chain with more than 1,200 outlets in 36 states and other territories including Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas; Clark Associates, a restaurant supplies and equipment distributor; and Cold Stone Creamery, a gelato parlour chain with 1,000 venues in the US and another 500 in 30 countries.
Exhibitors from no fewer than 40 countries will include American companies such as Oscartek (display cases), Cambro Manufacturing Company (small equipment), Waring (kitchen appliances) and Sweet Street Desserts (frozen desserts). A top-level offer that testifies to our efforts to make SIGEP World an increasingly international showcase.
This post is sponsored by Italian Exhibition Group