IEG: Inaugurated SIGEP World, the biggest edition ever
SIGEP World opening. Credit: Sigep
With the cutting of the ribbon entrusted to the minister for agriculture and food sovereignty, Francesco Lollobrigida, the 46th edition of SIGEP World – The World Expo for Foodservice Excellence, the big event dedicated to gelato, pastry, bakery, coffee, chocolate and pizza organised by Italian Exhibition Group (IEG), was inaugurated this morning at Rimini Expo Centre.
The largest edition ever, confirming SIGEP’s leadership in the foodservice sector, with 138,000 square metres of exhibition space, 1,300 exhibiting brands and the participation of over 3,000 international buyers.
In his greeting, president Maurizio Ermeti underlined the event’s growth and its international reach: “Forty-six editions are a great source of pride for us because they tell the story of how IEG is evolving. SIGEP was created in 1980 with the aim of supporting the artisan category for summer activities. At the time, there were 180 exhibitors and the show occupied a space as large as just one of our current halls. Today, SIGEP World is an international exhibition that places Rimini at the centre of a global network, a network that we have taken around the world thanks to our companies SIGEP Asia in Singapore and SIGEP China in Shenzhen. And we won’t be stopping there. Rimini’s centrality is further confirmed by the new Guest Country project, which, as of this year, will give particular prominence at each edition to a foreign country with which to develop relations and business. For this edition we have chosen Saudi Arabia, here with a large delegation of institutions and buyers, who will have the opportunity to learn more about the offer and innovation of the companies exhibiting at SIGEP World. Which is no longer just a trade show, but also a hub of professional and sector culture. With our investment in the SIGEP Vision observatory, we want to support the entire industrial sector and its communities, offering constant research and innovation to the various supply chains.”
Rimini mayor, Jamil Sadegholvaad, highlighted the value of SIGEP: “SIGEP World unites the excellence of Italian craftsmanship and creativity with an organisational excellence, such as IEG, within a city that is a reference point every day of the year for hospitality, services, leisure opportunities, entertainment and cultural interest. The Italian way to conquer customers, tourism and promotion based on the best values that we can show the world. For the food sector, one of the main industries in our economy, SIGEP provides the chance to send a positive message to the markets and the outside world: we are here, with our very best skills.”
“Once again this year,” Roberta Frisoni, Emilia-Romagna regional councillor for tourism added, “SIGEP World brings all the latest ideas and very best of Emilia-Romagna’s agrifood industry to Rimini. It is a fundamental show for promoting and enhancing the work and products of our ‘food network’ made up of artisans and trade operators who, with their knowledge, make our territory into something unique. As a Region, we are therefore delighted to host this event, which, in addition to being a global reference point for the foodservice sector, which is both identifiable and present in the daily lives of each and every one of us, increasingly focuses on attracting international visitors by also investing in connections and services specifically for foreign customers.”
A national and international value, as Lino Stoppani, president of the Italian Federation of Public Establishments (FIPE), explained. “SIGEP World is a moment of extraordinary importance for the entire foodservice sector. The 46th edition, with its international expansion and focus on sustainability and innovation, is not only a celebration of Italian excellence, but a unique opportunity to look at the future of our industry. The dessert segment, the undisputed protagonist of this event, symbolises an authentically Italian lifestyle. Gelato, in particular, is one of the most extraordinary expressions of Made in Italy with a market that represents 30% of that of the world. SIGEP allows us to grasp the complexity and wealth that lie behind a gelato or a pastry; products that are apparently simple, but are actually the result of a long and articulated journey in which public establishments are the last mile of a production chain that includes companies, people, skills, innovation capacity and business vision.”
Matteo Zoppas, president of the Italian trade Agency (ITA): “The Italian dolce foodservice sector achieved a turnover of 9.3 billion euros in 2023, a growth of 9% more than 2022. Compared to 2019, we were up 47%, despite the difficulties related to the Covid pandemic. In 2024, the numbers were also positive: from January to October, we recorded 8.7 billion euros, an increase of 14.5% compared to the same period the previous year. Agri-food exports in particular represent one of the strategic sectors to focus on. That is why we are making a significant contribution to the SIGEP exhibition with the aim of consolidating and increasing its role as a global reference point for all the categories concerned, including technology and machinery. The reasonable objective is to reach 100 billion euros of exports in a few years in the agri-food sector, which grew by 8.6% in the period January-November 2024. As ITA, we support this growth and are working to help entrepreneurs create ever better products. For this year’s edition of SIGEP, ITA organised the incoming of 74 buyers from countries considered strategic for the sector: Australia, United States, Canada, Japan, China, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar and 18 African cooperatives.”
“SIGEP,” the minister of agriculture, food sovereignty and forestry, Francesco Lollobrigida, concluded, “is a showcase of excellence for one of the most dynamic sectors in the Italian agri-food industry. It is essential to consolidate the internationalization path we have undertaken by strengthening our presence on foreign markets and identifying new commercial outlets. We are determinedly continuing to boost exports and affirm Italy’s leadership in these sectors. Investing in Italian excellence means increasing the competitiveness of our companies and promoting our agri-food model, one of the economic cornerstones of the Italian System.”
Saudi Arabia guest country
A distinctive feature of this edition is the presence of Saudi Arabia as guest country. The nation, which will host Expo 2030, is emerging as a strategic market in the hospitality and catering sector. For this reason, and thanks to its economic growth and the demand for innovative technologies, SIGEP World offers host companies and exhibiting brands a unique opportunity to build partnerships with key players on the Saudi market. A delegation of top Saudi Arabian buyers, including big names such as Barn’s, a coffee shop chain with over 800 outlets, Elite Hospitality/Al-Nahla Group, a leading hospitality company, and Al Tazaj, a quick service restaurant chain with more than 120 venues, is further enriching the event and opening up new perspectives for the global foodservice industry.
