MILAN, Italy – The guarantee of always encountering the latest state of the art in an industry that is constantly evolving is the hallmark of the Host2015 world exhibition of food equipment, which is taking place at Fiera Milano in Rho from Friday 23 to Tuesday 27 October 2015.
Long the beating heart of the International Hospitality Exhibition of Milan, the professional catering industry has been going through major changes in recent years. In particular, the boundary between Ho.Re.Ca. and Retail is becoming ever more blurred, while the revamping of outlets and multi-channel points of sale is forcing professionals to transform a constant stream of new concepts into structured formats that are capable of generating new business.
Concrete and striking examples of cross-fertilisation are occurring in, for example, the area of street food, and within the so-called “big box” containers designed specifically to deliver a more immersive experience.
Host2015 is universally recognised as the most important event in the world as regards the bespoke matching of supply and demand in relation to furnishings, accessories and technologies. It enhances the experiential aspect thanks to its unique conceptual approach that fosters beneficial “cross-fertilisation” among participants.
The Host2015 exhibition will encompass 12 pavilions divided into three main macro-areas that bring together Professional Catering and Bread-Pizza-Pasta; Ice Cream-Pastry, Coffee-Tea and Bars-Vending Machines; Furnishings and Tableware.
Here 1,500 high-profile buyers and tens of thousands of visitors from around the world will meet the leading Italian and international players in Ho.Re.Ca. and Retail. To date, more than 1,000 companies have already signed up as exhibitors.
“We are making the most of the highly international environment of Host to present our company as a multinational that is at the same time also attentive to local conditions,” declared Nicola Michelon Sales & Marketing Director of Unox SpA, a global company 92% of whose turnover derives from exports thanks to its wide range of gastronomy and bakery products and snack foods.
Similarly, Nereo Marzaro, President of Sirman declared, “We participate in over 50 trade shows but for us this is the fair, the one from which we expect to get the best business returns.” At the last edition, Sirman presented over 20 new machines. Among the most innovative products for which it is known are its bar and pizza machines.
Host is also the ideal venue for the more specialised niches such as dishwashing equipment, where Walo, for example, is showcasing professional dishwashers for highly specific customers, such as wine bars.
Among the foreign exhibitors, the Middleby Corporation is notable for its wide range of systems, which include deep fryers and rapid and countertop cooking equipment. Under the brand name TurboChef, it markets a line of ovens using innovative Connect technology, in which the oven “scans” the type of food and automatically selects the fastest and best cooking method.
From Germany, Winterhalter, a dishwashing equipment maker, is a leader in sustainability. “Winterhalter was a pioneer, and still is a leader in the design of dishwashing systems that save energy and costs, declared Elisabeth Knitz, Senior Marketing Manager International. “Our main markets are Europe and Asia, and for this reason Host is a key event for us.”
This edition will focus on food conservation management, which is one of the most important elements of continuity and interchange where the restaurant/catering industry meets retail stores, the supermarket sections of restaurants, and the countless other opportunities for experiences outside the home offered today by the many types of spaces.
The cold foods sector will have its own exhibition space, which, with the help of some of the leading experts in this industry and a partnership with Assofrigoristi, will gather many leading companies and their latest products in the one place.
“As an established point of reference in the world,” declared Marco Masini, executive consultant of Host for the cold foods sector, “in this year of the EXPO, Host has the credentials to present itself as a solution-provider that combines technology, sustainability, design and lifestyle.”
“With Host,” added Verzotto Valentine, President of Assofrigoristi, “we have worked hard to raise the standard of quality of work of those who use cooling throughout their entire value chain”.
Attendance at Host2015 means being able to pool experiences and hear the thoughts of opinion leaders describing the experience of their customers, thanks also to Host’s incomparably rich schedule of training sessions and informative meetings, events and performances.
Among other features, this year sees the return of Extraordinariamente Hosts, in collaboration the Association of Professional Italian Chefs (APCI).
This year, the event, which consists in sessions with expert professionals from different fields, will focus on pizzerias, an area that offers a particularly generous range of original ideas and innovative products for the catering industry.
The partnership with Identità Golose has also been confirmed, which means visitors will be able to enjoy top-tier show-cooking events, while the FCSI will give seminars on industry trends.
Strengthening Host’s central importance in the area of innovation, this edition will see a renewal of the collaboration with POLI.design, a design consortium of the Politecnico di Milano, with the second edition of the HOSThinking awards, which are dedicated to innovative formats, as well as Host Smart Label, which gives awards for sustainable innovation.
Applications to take part have been open since 1 September. At the first competition, 172 entries were received from all market sectors and the award went to 35 products, with special mention for four particularly innovative products designed by Alessi, Eversys AG, Linden International AB and Unox S.p.A.
In this year of the EXPO, Host2015 aims to consolidate its role as a trend-setter, as an observatory of the world of Ho.Re.Ca and Retail, and as the hub of all that is innovative in the industry: products, formats, consumer tastes and the latest trends in design and lifestyle.
