Rimini, December 17, 2024 - SIGEP World - The World Expo for Foodservice Excellence is preparing to host an unprecedented international participation, with a strong presence of delegations, associations, and foreign sector confederations, highlighting the growing importance of the Italian Exhibition Group’s fair in the global foodservice landscape. The event, which will be held at the Rimini Fair from January 18 to 22, will feature exhibitors from 33 countries, mainly including Italy, Germany, Spain, China, France, Turkey, Belgium, Poland, and the United States—countries that are crucial for developing business relationships in the sectors of the fair: Gelato, Pastry, Bakery, Coffee, Chocolate, and Pizza. Technological innovation will permeate every supply chain, making the expo a privileged showcase to discover the latest trends and innovative solutions transforming the global foodservice industry. In addition to the historically established markets, new geographies are emerging at SIGEP World.
SAUDI ARABIA IS GUEST COUNTRY AT SIGEP 2025
A key feature of this edition will be Saudi Arabia’s presence as the Guest Country. With a rapidly growing market and increasing demand for technological innovation, Saudi Arabia, the host country for Expo 2030, is emerging as a new frontier for the hospitality and restaurant sectors and will represent a strategic opportunity for companies, opening new prospects for global foodservice. During SIGEP World, a delegation of top Saudi buyers is expected to arrive in Rimini, including major names such as Barn’s, a coffee shop chain with over 800 locations, Elite Hospitality/Al-Nahla Group, one of the leading hospitality companies, and Al Tazaj, a quick-service restaurant chain with more than 120 locations.
GLOBAL MARKETS INCREASINGLY ATTRACTED TO THE ITALIAN OUT-OF-HOME INDUSTRY
SIGEP World 2025 will provide a strong push toward technological innovation and sustainability in foodservice, with more than 40 international events, including talks and competitions, involving 60 speakers from the Out-of-Home industry. Over 520 buyers from 79 countries, including the United States, India, Canada, Brazil, Turkey, and China, have already joined the Top Buyers’ Program, organized to facilitate business matchmaking at the fair. The profiles represent the main players in the foodservice industry: 34% come from chains such as gelaterias, restaurants, quick-service restaurants, patisseries, coffee shops, bakeries, pizzerias, and hotel chains, while 28% are producers and artisan laboratories. The remaining audience is made up of 20% importers, 14% distributors and wholesalers, and 4% representatives from the GDO and collective catering sectors. Additionally, over 2,500 European buyers from Spain, Germany, France, Romania, Greece, and the United Kingdom will participate in the Premium Program. The event’s ability to attract diverse markets is demonstrated by the participation of countries such as the United States, one of the leading global promoters of Pizza—an area that will see further expansion at SIGEP World—and Germany and Spain, top performers in the world of artisan Gelato. Among the key markets for international business are the United Kingdom, where Coffee and Pastry play a central role in Food & Beverage, and France, which has a strong connection with Bakery and Pastry.
Institutional presence at SIGEP World is one of the fair’s strengths, thanks to the consolidated network and strategic relationships built by Italian Exhibition Group in synergy with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the ICE Agency. Notable foreign delegations include those from the Americas, such as the North American Ice Cream Association from the United States, the Baking Association of Canada (BAC), and the Associação Brasileira do Sorvete e Outros Gelados Comestíveis from Brazil, reflecting the strategic importance of these markets, especially for the Gelato and Bakery industries. Africa, where the foodservice market is rapidly evolving, will be represented by the Restaurant Association of South Africa (RASA) and the Tunisian Union of Industry Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA). From Asia, the Korean Bakery Association and the Turkish Chefs Federation (TASFED) will participate, while Uzbekistan will be represented by the Uzbekistan Food Industry Association (UFIA). Finally, Europe will be well represented with major associations such as the Deutscher Konditorenbund from Germany, the CEOPPAN association from Spain (the reference point for the bakery sector), the Confédération Nationale des Glaciers de France from France, and the HORECA Industry Association (HORA) from Romania, an emerging market with high potential for the restaurant industry. Other international participants include the Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants Association, the Restaurant Association of Singapore, the Airline Catering Association based in Brussels, which brings together companies in the airline catering sector, and the Indonesia Tourism Industry Association.