MILAN — Sustainable, experiential, personalised. But also smart and hyper-technological. These are the next-generation catering and hospitality structures, the ultimate symbols of new lifestyles around the world. From 4.0 technology such as automation or artificial intelligence, to changes in tastes with a move away from the sweet-savoury pairing to a range of new flavours – like the umami “fifth taste”– as well as new places and ways of doing it, eating out is on the rise, despite the slowing of the world economy.
The latest trends and upcoming must-haves of this sector will be revealed exclusively at HostMilano, at fieramilano from 18 to 22 October 2019, a show organised by Fiera Milano, a world leader in terms of professional hospitality. Leadership that is confirmed by the figures as, to date, more than 1,650 companies have already registered, 43% of which are international, hailing from 50 countries.
New trends see the promotion of home deliveries and exportation
What trends will we see during the upcoming edition? In considering reports by the market’s key analysts, the HostMilano Observatory has identified some particularly interesting trends. While Euromonitor sees a general trend of hyper-personalisation, with individualized eating experiences, and made to measure, sustainable portions, Forbes envisages a boom in healthy options for recreational eating at the cinema, shopping centre, station or airport for example. This growth in catering will be further driven by home deliveries that, the Host Observatory notes, will increasingly involve independent local firms as well as chains.
The numbers also confirm how innovative trends are supporting consumption
According to recent Censis-Coldiretti data (November 2018), food consumption outside of the home is a market in rapid expansion, equating to 78 billion euro and growing at a rate of 8% per year. 35% of tourist spending (more than 30 billion euro) goes on eating out while 4.1 million Italians also make use of food delivery services.
But what is happening behind the scenes, in professional kitchens? Forbes also envisages an increase in automation in the catering arena, or rather the use of actual robots that will free human operators from those mechanical and repetitive tasks, such as spreading the toppings on a pizza, so that they can instead dedicate themselves to more creative aspects. In terms of raw ingredients, analyses the HostMilano Observatory, Forbes foresees continual growth of the ecosystem of vegetable-based products as well as the consolidation of clean labelling. Developments that the Italian industry, a global leader in many food equipment segments, has promoted from an innovation standpoint, supporting exportation.
The future at HostMilano: From the SMART Label Host Innovation Award to innovation in the sectors
Much more than an exhibition of machinery, solutions and formats, HostMilano is a hub of innovation, knowledge and culture regarding a unique sector, and encourages visitors to seize these changes and transform them into business opportunities. A particularly qualified opinion will be offered by the SMART Label Host Innovation Award: the prize, promoted by Host and Fiera Milano with POLI.design, a Consortium of the Politecnico di Milano, and supported by ADI – Italian Association for Industrial Design, rewards products, services and projects that stand out for their functionality, technologies and environmental, ethical or social implications.
In terms of design and all that is layout- and format-related, this year sees the introduction of seven Design Talks seminars, again in collaboration with POLI.design. Topics will include innovative solutions based on big data, new urban scenarios, the new luxury and the customer experience. Meanwhile, the Food-Technology Lounge, in collaboration with EFCEM Italia and ANIMAand its associations Assofoodtec, Fiac, Aqua Italia and Uida, will focus on the impact technology has on the sector, while Futurbar by Comufficio and Consorzio FIA will present a preview of the food establishments of tomorrow.
Among the hundreds of scheduled events, a key one is Restaurant Engineering – a behind the scenes look at evolutions in the world of eating out, arranged by APCI – the Professional Association of Italian Cooks, a format that will see famous chefs, VIP guests and institutional partners offering infinite interpretations of cookery, baking and bread-making, with a special area dedicated to emerging young talents. CHIC – Charming Italian Chef will offer in-depth insight into high-quality sustainable while, for the first Academy offered by the Federazione Italiana Cuochi, a designer kitchen will host a series of advanced training demonstrations.
And if the boundaries between the eating out segments are increasingly blurred, HostMilano, one of the pioneers of the hybridisation phenomenon, promises to be an unmissable event, one via which to ‘contaminate’ one’s business with ideas and stimuli from similar industries. From the world of coffee, AICAF and ALTOGA will run key events, including the 6th Italian Coffee Bar Grand Prix, the Latte Art Grading Battle Championship and Coffee Addition, focusing on coffee mixology. Another key event is Arte Bianca’s European Pizza Championship put on by Pizza e Pasta Italiana and Scuola Italiana Pizzaioli.
But, at HostMilano, innovation is also that of the companies which are exhibiting. The show is arranged according to the three macro areas of Foodservice Equipment, with Bread, Pizza, Pasta; Coffee-Tea with Bar, Coffee Machines, Vending Machines and Gelato/Bakery; Table-Decor and Technology.
