SigepWorld

From 16 to 20 January 2026, SIGEP World returns to the Rimini Expo Centre, reaffirming its role as a key international platform for foodservice, hospitality, and out-of-home consumption. Organized by Italian Exhibition Group, the event goes beyond product showcases to explore how food, beverage, sustainability, and technology are reshaping business models across the global hospitality industry.

At the core of the 2026 edition is a structured programme of Special Projects that connect products, supply chains, and strategic thinking. From luxury hotels to coffee bars of the future, from cocoa origins to pizza and gelato as scalable business concepts, SIGEP World positions itself as an observatory of change for professionals navigating a rapidly evolving market.

Food as a strategic driver in luxury hospitality

With the Luxury Hotel Food Experience, SIGEP World highlights how food and beverage have become decisive competitive levers in high-end hospitality. Breakfast, catering, pastry, and restaurant concepts are no longer secondary services, but central elements of hotel identity and profitability.

Through case studies and expert discussions, the programme shows how F&B can evolve from a cost centre into a revenue engine, sometimes accounting for 30 to 50 percent of total hotel turnover. Breakfast emerges as a signature moment, while pastry, bakery, and events become powerful tools for differentiation, storytelling, and brand positioning in both independent hotels and international chains.

Sustainability District: reconnecting origin and market

The Sustainability District focuses on cocoa and coffee supply chains, bringing sustainability to the forefront of industry strategy. Producers, cooperatives, institutions, and companies come together to address transparency, fair cooperation, and long-term economic viability.

Twenty-one cooperatives from six African countries are joined by Latin American organisations, offering direct insight into origin, production, and quality. Dedicated routes such as Chocolate Origins and Bean to Bar illustrate the journey from raw material to finished product, while discussions explore regulatory challenges, energy efficiency, and emerging premium segments such as tea culture. The objective is to align ethical responsibility with realistic market models.

Innovation Bar: technology shaping the beverage industry

The Innovation Bar examines how technology is transforming bars and coffee concepts worldwide. Super-automatic machines, artificial intelligence, and new operational solutions respond to staff shortages and changing consumer expectations, while raising important questions about the balance between automation and professional expertise.

Linked to the Micro Roaster Village, this area also highlights specialty coffee, new brewing techniques, and direct trade relationships, presenting coffee as both a sensory experience and a high-value business opportunity.

Gelato and pizza: Italian icons, global businesses

SIGEP World 2026 also reframes two iconic Italian products through a global lens. With Gelato Meets Chains, gelato is positioned as a strategic asset for restaurants, hotels, bakeries, and coffee shop chains, thanks to its adaptability, strong margins, and scalability across foodservice formats.

Pizza (R)evolution follows the same logic, presenting pizza as a complete ecosystem that connects ingredients, flours, equipment, ovens, and service models. Supported by leading training institutions and industry associations, it addresses the needs of independent operators and international chains alike.

With its thematic platforms and Special Projects, SIGEP World 2026 confirms its role as a strategic meeting point for hospitality and foodservice professionals. 

🎥 Taste & Flavors will be on site at SIGEP World 2026 in Rimini, reporting from the show floor on the developments, innovations, and industry perspectives shaping the future of global foodservice and hospitality.