After taking part in the 2015 edition of Host, more than 700 firms (42% of them from outside Italy) have already signed up to attend the next edition, which will be held from 20 to 24 October 2017, at Fieramilano, Rho. As a result, 21 months before the doors open, 50% of the available fairground space has already been taken up.
And what an event Host 2017 promises to be, with a whole array of new features. In what will be the fortieth edition of the fair, there will be a greater focus on certain emerging sectors, to make the range of things on offer more complete for those operating at all levels and in all the sectors covered.
Some areas may seem less closely related to the main theme of the fair, but they are in fact taking on a whole new role, not least of all technology in all its various guises, from the Internet of Things that allows machinery to interact with users to new payment systems.
Greater attention will also be paid to other areas such as cleaning, cold storage, vending (a channel that is growing in popularity especially among Millennials), franchising and beverage equipment.
As for Host 2015, it was clear from the outset that last year’s edition would be a special one, in terms of numbers of exhibitors and floor space covered.
The 2,010 exhibitor firms present (up 18% on the 2013 edition), who came from 47 countries, were visited by 150,968 professional tradespeople (a growth of 17%) covering all food sectors: professional catering with Bread, Pizza and Pasta; Coffee &Tea with coffee-making equipment and vending machines, bar equipment, Ice Cream and Pastry, Furnishings and Tableware.
Apart from the statistical facts and figures, though, participants had plenty of praise for the event, confirming Host 2015 as a leader of the Ho.Re.Ca and retail sectors and an indispensable point of reference for the sector.
According to a survey carried out by Fiera Milano, 97% of exhibitors said they were “fully satisfied” with the quality of the professional contacts they made, with 92% describing them as “international and high profile”.
These contacts were, moreover, an excellent way of generating business, with 93% saying they had set up “significant negotiations”. The importance of Host is also acknowledged by 98% of professional exhibitors, who judge the fair to be “extremely important” from a business point of view. And even the remaining 2% describe it as “very important”.
Firms that will undoubtedly be present at Host 2017 will include top players from all sectors. Lists of these can be found at http://host.fieramilano.it/espositori-2017
