MILAN, Italy — As the end of the year draws near, time for HostMilano to take stock. With less than a year to go to the opening of the 41 st edition, to be held at Fieramilano from 18 to 22 October 2019, things are definitely hotting up.
1,426 companies have already signed up to exhibit at this leading professional hospitality fair, organised by Fiera Milano, with 44.39% international exhibitors from 48 countries – including newcomers Albania, Latvia and Colombia – and 55.61% from Italy. The top foreign nations represented are Germany, Spain, France, the USA, the UK, the Netherlands and Portugal.
Through collaboration with the ICE Agency, 1,500 hosted buyers from 80 countries will also be in attendance, covering 80% of turnover and arriving mainly from the USA, Canada, the Middle East, the UAE, China and Russia.
Media coverage is guaranteed through at least 100 invited journalists, who will report on the fair for 75 editorial concerns in Europe, Asia, America and the Middle East.
As always, a range of advantageous institutional agreements are likely to be signed with top international associations, such as Foodservice Consultants Society International (FCSI), Restaurants Canada, CEDA (UK) and AFEHC (Spain), as well as with top Italian associations.
Once again in 2019, the macro-area concept will feature prominently. This is one of the event’s greatest strengths, facilitating as it does a range of important synergies between related areas, in line with market dynamics.
The Catering – Bread-Pizza-Pasta macro-area is particularly popular, involving 48.32% of firms.
The sector, which is particularly dynamic right now, groups together a range of different trends, from food trucks to single-product stores and star-rated ethnic restaurants, all with a format designed right down to last detail.
Another historic strength of the fair is the macro-area Bars-Coffee Makers-Vending Machines – Coffee-Tea – Gelato-Pastry, where 34.43% of firms are concentrated. One of the big buzz words here right now is “hybridisation”.
Overlaps between gelato, pastries and coffee have been happening for some time, and the next step will be the arrival of mixology, as various after-dinner offerings appear on the scene. Meanwhile gelato, whose artisanal versions now span the globe, is also establishing a firmer presence in restaurants, and also in hotels.
Coffee, too, is growing, in a way that seems to mirror the way wine has grown in popularity. Coffee has indeed become a sophisticated, gourmet delight.
There is now more focus on single origin and organic, to say nothing of all the new extraction processes: alongside espresso there is syphon, dripper, Chemex and aeropress to choose from.
And finally, because hospitality is getting ever more personal and refined, the latest design trends for the places we go to be wined and dined in will also have their own space in the Furnishings-Tableware-Tecnology macro-area: a fast-growing section if ever there was one, now involving a good 17.25% of firms.
