MILAN, Italy – Coffee is once again a leader at HostMilano 2017 (20 to 24 October at FieraMilano) at the SIC – Salone Internazionale del Caffè (International Coffee Exhibition).
In total, there will be 593 participating companies (3% up on the previous edition) from 41 countries, with Italy providing the lion’s share (two thirds of exhibitors), followed by Germany, Spain, Switzerland and the USA.
UCIMAC: Made in Italy up 4.7% in 2017
While all the big players of the sector have already confirmed their attendance, there will be no shortage of small, upcoming concerns among SIC exhibitors.
All testimony to the vitality of a sector confirmed also by the latest data from UCIMAC, the organisation representing Espresso Coffee Machine Manufacturers and member of ANIMA-Assofoodtec.
In Italy, the “Espresso coffee machine” industry reported a turnover of 445 million Euros in 2016 with a 4.7% increase due in large part to the foreign market, and an almost similar outlook earmarked for this year (+4.5%).
Exports are also on the increase (up 3.8% last year and 4.3% in 2017), with a new development: although the main target markets are still in Europe, there has been a sharp increase in the share taken by Asian countries, particularly South Korea and China.
The Experience Gallery: where coffee and gelato come together
Coffee and Gelato: two parallel universes have become complementary, thanks to the creations of gelato makers and pastry chefs, now enamoured more than ever with the world of the coffee bean.
And to allow event visitors to get a close encounter with the many aspects of the concept of hybridisation, the big novelty of the 40th edition of Host in 2017 is what we call The Experience Gallery.
More than just a bridge, a tunnel, in fact, linking pavilions number 10 and 14 where the two sectors are housed; this a place in its own right, designed to offer visitors an experience informed by all five senses, bringing together the worlds of Gelato Pastry and Coffee.
All sides of coffee in events, international competitions and new developments
Brewing and cold brewing, Ibrik, Dripper, Aeropress and Specialty. In Italy in recent years coffee has ceased to be synonymous with only espresso or cappuccino, and its vocabulary has become enriched in ways we couldn’t have previously imagined, so it befalls SIC to do no less than show off the precious coffee bean in all its global forms and variants.
Make way then for a top-to-toe exploration of coffee not only as a beverage or as an object of culture or fashion, but also as an ingredient to be extracted in various ways, with the accent on experimentation and comparison between different methods.
But as well as exhibition spaces helping industry operators to deepen their knowledge of this rapidly evolving product, HostMilano 2017 boasts a full calendar of events.
It starts with “Coffee Fantasia”, the competition organised by FIPE, Federazione Italiana Publici Esercizi (Italian Federation of Public Concerns), which promotes the ideas of people whose daily goal is to come up with something new in coffee, perhaps creating new sweet or savoury recipes in the bar or in the kitchen.
The top five winners will be invited to appear at the FIPE stand in Pavilion 10 with renowned chefs in the cookery show Caffè in tavola e non solo… where they can share their own experiences and stories involving coffee, not only in its traditional sense, but also in its cookery use as an aromatic ingredient to enhance flavours and give exotic notes to recipes.
A real social event will be provided in the form of the “Discussion Packs”, a format in which participants will discuss, compare and share different ways to enhance the use of coffee.
An event not to miss on 21 and 22 October is the Gran Premio della Caffetteria Italiana (Italian Coffeehouse Grand Prix) organised byAICAF, the Italian Academy of Coffee Masters. And in the finals, supported by ALTOGA, the judges will award the top barista prize to recipes that include at least one ingredient from Italian cookery.
Through the setting up of various consumption experiences based on coffee and liqueurs, the new concept of Cafe Chronology (produced by the World Coffee Events team in partnership with MUMAC) will allow visitors to relive coffee culture as it developed from the early twentieth century to the present day.
This is a full immersion journey through the material and culture of the ‘black stuff’, with vintage machines and period aromas and furnishings.
“Magie della Mixability” (Mixability Magic) is the name given to the meeting organised by Mixer Educational where mixology masters and cookery creatives will take on tradition, explaining and teaching professionals all about the properties and benefits of natural herbs.
Hub Coffee Science on the other hand is a twin-themed workshop explaining the scientific principles that underlie the chemistry of water and coffee.
Other competitions expressly for bar counter professionals are the Espresso Italiano Champion, the race for baristas organised by the Italian Espresso National Institute (Inei): a race against the clock in which 15 international baristas strive to make four espressos and four cappuccinos in under 11 minutes.
All under the watchful eyes and acutely sensitive taste buds of the Istituto Internazionale Assaggiatori Caffè (International Institute Of Coffee Tasters). Finally, the Milan Latte Art Challenge 2017, a new competition format involving 12 of the world’s best Latte Artists. The event was developed by the Trismoka team.
All updates are available at: www.host.fieramilano.it, @HostMilano, #Host2017.
