HostMilano Convenes as the Hospitality Industry Bounces Back

The world of Ho.Re.Ca. (hotels, restaurants and cafes) will come together for a single blockbuster event at HostMilano, to be held from October 22 through October 26 in Milan, Italy. The show will feature everything from the art of baking and professional catering to coffee machines, tableware technology, ice cream, pastries and confectioneries.

Now in its 42nd edition, HostMilano is a true global equipment hub and will feature all key players in the world of professional hospitality. According to ExportPlanning, the first quarter of 2021 showed strong acceleration in the professional catering segment, up 22.8% in euro value compared to the first quarter of the previous year and 23% compared to the same quarter in 2019. The tableware segment has also shown positive growth of 11.1% over the first quarter of 2020 and a 5.7% uptick from 2019.

Similar trends were recorded for Italian exports during the first three months of the year. For example, the Made in Italy segment (linked to professional catering) saw a strong recovery of 20.8%, while the tableware segment jumped by 11%, compared to a 6.2% decline in the first quarter of 2020.

Meanwhile, according to the International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook, forecasts indicate a return to accelerated rates of development for the period of 2021 through 2024, particularly in the global trade. The most dynamic segments will once again be professional catering (with an average annual growth of 6.9% in the 2021-2024 period) and those related to the coffee machine vending segment (7% average annual growth). With respect to Italian exports, the positive trends will encompass all sectors, particularly in the areas of coffee machine vending and bakery/confectionery.

In keeping with its longstanding tradition, the 2021 edition of HostMilano promises to be the ideal marketplace to address all of the most important realities of professional hospitality, with 1,100 exhibitors already committed to attend. They will come from 40 different countries, including Germany, France, Spain, the United States, Portugal, Holland, Greece and the United Kingdom. Eighty-nine percent of the event will focus on professional catering (38%), coffee machine vending (33%) and tableware technology (18%).

This year’s HostMilano event will be held in conjunction with TUTTOFood in order to exploit synergies between similar and complementary sectors. It will also feature the SMART Label—Host Innovation Awards, with more than 79 candidates from the foodservice equipment and vending segments. To learn more, visit host.fieramilano.it.

- Rodman