The team behind the Sigep food and drink event has aimed for a double the number of senior buyers attending the annual event, which is set for a return next January, writes Neill Barston.

The event covering the chocolate, pastry, gelato, bakery, pizza and coffee markets, has attracted an increasing range of visitors from around the globe for its key event targeting the foodservice sectors. 

As the group noted, the 48th edition of the Italian Exhibition Group (IEG) event, to be held at Rimini Expo Centre from 23rd to 27th January 2027 will build on the 2026 figures: 1,300 brands, 138,000 square metres, 30 halls, operators from 160 countries (almost one in four visitors from abroad) and a 33% increase in foreign exhibitors.

The 502 top buyers from 74 countries, brought in thanks to the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), generated 5,851 business meetings. In 2027, focus will be on retail chains, travel catering, the luxury hospitality sector and, with a new Guest Country, an International Pavilion, foreign delegations and international business matchmaking.

Of all the sectors featured at Sigep World, gelato is still central, and the figures confirm the sector’s importance. According to Claudio Pica, General Secretary of AIG, the Italian Gelato-makers’ Association (with over 3,800 member businesses), the average increase in gelato consumption in terms of volume is estimated at +2% compared with the 2025 tourist season.

“We can divide Italy into three areas: seaside resorts saw a 12% growth compared with 2025, whilst this figure was around 8% in residential areas. As for major cities, we’re looking at an increase of around 1%. With this year’s scorching heat, the preference for afternoon consumption was for granitas and sorbets.”

She then added: “|It should, however, be pointed out that gelato parlour profitability has fallen by 6% due to the “heat tax”, which increased electricity and cooling costs, as well as the cost of skilled labour.

Furthermore, as the organisation noted, Sigep has become an international network with events across three continents and a community that engages all year round.

In July, SIGEP Asia returned to the Marina Bay Sands Expo in Singapore with the Gelato World Cup – Asia Selection. SIGEP USA will be back in the United States from 13th to 15th April 2027, whilst SIGEP China will take place in Shanghai in June 2027.

Following stops in Chicago, São Paulo, Ho Chi Minh City and Tokyo, Sigep Meets the World, which targets potential exhibitors, buyers and the media, will be in Warsaw, Istanbul, Munich and Paris, in collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency and Chambers of Commerce. The strategy is rounded off by SIGEP Ambassadors, including the Gelato World Cup winners who are active in key markets.

The big news for 2027 will be Vietnam’s participation as Guest Country, a nation that is one of the most dynamic markets in the global foodservice sector: the out-of-home sector is, in fact, expected to reach 45.2 billion dollars by 2031 (up from 24.8 in 2025, a 10% annual increase). It is the world’s second-largest coffee producing country and the leading exporter of Robusta with exports up by 58.8%. In collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency and ICHAM, the project will bring a government delegation and new qualified buyers to Rimini.

The figures confirm the importance of exports and, consequently, of SIGEP World’s global network. According to ICE-Eurostat, in the first quarter of 2026, Italian gelato exports had already risen by 19% compared with the same period in 2025 (121 million euros compared with 102). From Australia (Oceania’s gelato exports totalled €8.8 million) to the world’s most dynamic markets, an ever-greater number of Italian gelato businesses are experiencing substantial growth. 

In addition, the technology sector at Sigep World includes the Kitchen Equipment Hub, a global showcase for foodservice technologies, and the Digital District for robotics, AI and digital services. New features will include “The Orbital Kitchen” with BEX (Beyond Exploration Expo, an event also organised by IEG), an AI-powered kitchen with smart solutions that can be replicated on Earth; water purification systems; and pasta-making machinery.