MILAN, Italy – The Ho.Re.Ca. industry is back to growth. In its analysis of a report by FIPE, the Italian association of public establishments, Bain & Company Italy highlights a 4 to 5 percent revenue increase in 2024. In turn, a McKinsey & Company study shows tourism –a relevant contribution to the out-of-home business– represents about 10 percent of Italy’s GDP.
These figures are fostering investment: on the one hand, through the creation of phygital experiences and, especially, by integrating artificial intelligence; on the other, in the development of eco-friendly materials, multisensory interactions, biomaterials, and carbon-free production processes. These innovations and innovative design approaches will have an increasing impact on restaurants and hospitality.
For the past thirteen years, the relationship between innovative design and Ho.Re.Ca. has been explored by Smart Label – Host Innovation Award, the award promoted by HostMilano and Fiera Milano in partnership with POLI.design and under the patronage of ADI – Association for Industrial Design. The award is a reference for designers who want to offer the market cutting-edge answers that stand out in terms of change, functions, technological development, and environmental, social and economic sustainability. During the previous six editions, a total of about 950 applications were submitted, with more than 280 products awarded.
The nominated projects explore four macro-areas: Smart Label, Innovation Smart Label, Green Smart Label, and Special Mentions. Over time, many proposals have emphasized co-creation and user experience, shared products and activities where users increasingly become part of processes, thanks to devices and technologies empowering them. These include award-winning automated or semi-automated systems for real-time food preparation. A certainly important trend is sustainability: recycled materials and technologies that reduce consumption are highly valued by the contest. Connectedness is the third theme. Smart and connected objects that create ecosystems to optimize use, initiate planned and preventive maintenance processes, control costs and avoid malfunctions or block the supply chain, such as IoT projects capable of connecting different realities and generating ecosystems for use by the supply chain). Finally, solutions that meet new food styles and facilitate food inclusion, i.e., those “flexible” products that meet user needs and preferences, such as devices to manage preparations in parallel and, therefore, respond to special nutritional needs or specific ethical choices.
For the seventh edition too, prizes will be awarded during HostMilano, the world’s leading exhibition for professional hospitality and out-from-home, that will be held at fieramilano – Rho from 17 to 21 October 2025. A committee composed of Politecnico di Milano professors and industry experts will evaluate proposals for the Smart Label, Innovation Smart Label and Green Smart Label categories. Special Mentions are also planned for food & beverage products. The deadline for submissions is 30 April 2025. Here, full details on application rules.
As for the previous editions, awarded products will be displayed in the Smart Label area during HostMilano 2025, and an INDEX will be released. collecting product images and histories. The area will be complemented by the Design Talks, refresher seminars dedicated to architects and experts in the hospitality sector that will delve into the themes of sustainable innovation in design, concepts and formats. This initiative is another outcome of the partnership between HostMilano and POLI.design, under the patronage of NEWH – The Hospitality Industry Network.
