Sigep ready to welcome the world to Rimini this week

Final preparations are being made for this week’s Sigep World event, which brings key chocolate, gelato, bakery and pizza markets together from across the world, writes Neill Barston.

Confectionery Production magazine returns as a media partner for the event, which targets the fast-evolving foodservice sector, which has continued to gain traction around the globe, despite a continued backdrop of challenging economic conditions in many territories.

Notably, Sigep, which runs between 16-20 January in Rimini, has continued to extended its international focus, with the event successfully rebranding last year as Sigep World, expanding out from its core European audience.

As its organisers have noted, there will be a programme of special project events and themes this year, which connect products, supply chains and business models.

Moreover, as event noted, its range of elements including a luxury Hotel Food Experience, Sustainability District, Innovation Bar, Gelato Meets Chains, and Pizza (R)evolution serve as lenses through which the Italian Exhibition Group (IEG) explores the sector’s ongoing transformation.

This spans everything from the role of food in high-end hospitality and the evolution of bar concepts, to sustainable supply chains and the growth strategies of international chains.

Discussion forum
With the foodservice industry remaining notably competitive, the event has devised special sessions including its Luxury Hotel Food Experience, presenting case studies and discussion forums showing how breakfast, catering, and events shape the identity and positioning of luxury hotels.

Key events include “Signature breakfasts in luxury hospitality: the Portrait Milano case” (Pastry Arena – Hall B5), exploring one of the industry’s most significant trends through Portrait Milano, winner of Best Breakfast at the Best Luxury Hotel Awards 2024.

The event’s Pastry Arena will be transformed into an immersive buffet inspired by the hotel’s breakfast, curated by Cesare Murzilli, Executive Pastry Chef at Portrait Milano. The event is open to buyers, companies, influencers, and trade media and features talks on luxury service, buffet presentation, and the role of water in pastry-making.

Furthermore, in recognition that environmental responsibility is becoming ever-more important, the event has created its  Sustainability District at SIGEP World 2026. This offers a dedicated space for international dialogue, offering in-depth insights into the cocoa and coffee supply chains.  It also showcases new technological solutions and case studies from the food industry, connecting producers, cooperatives, institutions, and companies across the entire value chain.

The project actively involves the Italian Trade Agency, IILA – the Italian-Latin American Institute, the European Coffee Federation, IICCT – the International Institute of Chocolate and Cacao Tasting, ​ ANIMA Confindustria, and universities such as BBS Bologna Business School and H-FARM. Together, they bring the voices of the countries of origin and production regions to the fair, alongside innovations, new technological opportunities related to energy sustainability, and new frontiers in the food industry.

Twenty-one cooperatives from six African countries – Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Tanzania, and Kenya – will be present, alongside Latin American organisations from Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic. The aim is to promote fairer, more transparent, and market-oriented cooperation models.

Within the district, visitors will find Chocolate Origins and the Bean to Bar route, curated by Maestro Guido Castagna, which details the transformation of cocoa from bean to bar. There is also the Choco Village, dedicated to the craft of chocolate making. ​The 2026 edition will also feature tea culture, representing a new frontier in the premium segment.

Bar technology
In addition, the future of the bar industry hinges on the relationship between technology and expertise. Innovation Bar is regarded as the event’s concept area, showcasing espresso machines, super-automatics, artificial intelligence, and new plant-based solutions. It explores how the professional beverage industry is evolving amid automation, staff shortages, and changing consumer expectations.

Moreover, Gelato will also play its part in this year’s show, and is a core symbol of Italy’s craftsmanship, centred on its ​With Gelato Meets Chains concept, an event geared around international restaurant, hotel, coffee shop and bakery chains.

It is designed to promote the integration of artisanal, soft and frozen gelato into global menus through targeted content, matchmaking and networking between companies and decision-makers. 

Last, but by no means least, the event also celebrates the pizza market, with a special theme first introduced last year, which returns to offer a comprehensive overview across the market. 

​Alongside the exhibition area, the event will feature a structured programme of talks and masterclasses, developed with contributions from ALMA – the International School of Italian Cuisine, a leading provider of high-quality training, key industry associations such as AVPN – the True Neapolitan Pizza Association and NIP – the Italian National Pizza Makers Association.