RIMINI (ITALPRESS) – With the ribbon-cutting ceremony entrusted to the Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty Francesco Lollobrigida, the 46th edition of SIGEP World – The World Expo for Foodservice Excellence, the great event dedicated to Gelato, Pastry, Bakery, Coffee, Chocolate and Pizza by Italian Exhibition Group (IEG), was inaugurated this morning at the Rimini Fairgrounds. The largest edition ever, confirming SIGEP’s leadership in the foodservice sector, with 138,000 square meters of exhibition space, 1,300 exhibiting brands and the participation of more than 3,000 international buyers. President Maurizio Ermeti, in his greeting, emphasized the growth of the event and its international reach: “Forty-six editions are a great pride for us, because they tell the story of how IEG is evolving. SIGEP was founded in 1980 with the aim of supporting the artisan category for summer business: at that time there were 180 exhibitors and the fair occupied a space as large as one of our current halls. Today, SIGEP World is an international fair that puts Rimini at the center of a global network, a network that we have brought to the world thanks to our companies: SIGEP Asia in Singapore and SIGEP China in Shenzen. And we will not stop there. This centrality of Rimini is further confirmed by the new Guest Country project, which from this year will give special emphasis in each edition to a foreign country with which to develop relations and business relationships. For this edition, we have chosen Saudi Arabia, which will be present with a large delegation of institutions and buyers, who will have the opportunity to learn more about the offerings and innovation of the companies present at SIGEP World. Which is no longer just a trade fair, but also a hub of professional and industry culture. With our investment in the SIGEP Vision observatory, we want to support the entire industry sector and its communities, offering constant research and innovation to the different supply chains. “Rimini Mayor Jamil Sadegholvaad remarked on the value of SIGEP: “SIGEP World combines the excellence of Italian craftsmanship and creativity with an organizational excellence, as IEG is, within a city that is a reference point every day of the year for hospitality, services, opportunities for leisure, entertainment, and cultural interest. The Italian way to a conquest of customers, of tourism, of promotion based on the best values we can show the world. For the food sector, one of the main sectors of our economy, SIGEP is an opportunity to send a positive message to the markets and to the outside world: we are there, with our best abilities. “Once again this year,” added Roberta Frisoni, Councillor for Tourism of the Emilia-Romagna Region, for her part, “SIGEP World brings together in Rimini the latest news and excellence of Emilia-Romagna’s agri-food industry. A fundamental fair to also promote and enhance the work and products of our ‘food network’ composed of artisans and trade operators who with their knowledge make our land something unique. As a Region, we are therefore happy to host this event, which in addition to being a world reference point in a sector, that of food, which is identical and present in the daily lives of each of us, is increasingly aiming to attract international visitors by also investing in connections and services dedicated to foreign customers. “A national and international value, as explained by Lino Stoppani, President of the Italian Federation of Public Establishments (FIPE). “SIGEP World represents 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 sector. The dessert segment, the undisputed star of this event, symbolizes an authentically Italian lifestyle. Ice cream, in particular, is among the most extraordinary expressions of Made in Italy, with a market that represents 30 percent of the world market. SIGEP allows us to grasp the complexity and richness behind an ice cream or a brioche; products that are seemingly simple, but in reality are the outcome of a long and articulated path in which public establishments are the last mile of a production chain that expresses companies, people, skills, innovation capacity and commercial vision. “The Italian confectionery sector reached a turnover of 9.3 billion euros in 2023, with a growth of 9% compared to 2022. Compared to 2019, we were up 47 percent, despite the difficulties related to the Covid pandemic. In 2024, the numbers also remain positive: from January to October, we recorded 8.7 billion euros, an increase of 14.5 percent compared to the same period last year. Agribusiness exports in particular represent one of the strategic sectors to focus on. This is why we are making a significant contribution to the SIGEP fair, with the aim of consolidating and increasing its role as a global reference point for all categories represented, including technology and machinery. The reasonable goal is to reach 100 billion euros of exports in a few years in the agribusiness sector, which grows by 8.6 percent in the period January-November 2024. As the ICE Agency we support this growth and work to help entrepreneurs create better and better products. For this year’s SIGEP edition, ICE has organized the incoming of 74 buyers from countries considered strategic for the sector: Australia, the United States, Canada, Japan, China, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar and 18 African cooperatives,” said Matteo Zoppas, president of Agenzia ICE. “SIGEP,” concluded the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry Francesco Lollobrigida, “represents a showcase of excellence for one of the most dynamic sectors of the Italian agri-food industry. It is essential to consolidate the internationalization path we have embarked on, strengthening our presence in foreign markets and identifying new commercial outlets. We continue with determination 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 agrifood model, one of the economic pillars of Sistema Italia. “A distinctive element of this edition is the presence of Saudi Arabia as Guest Country. The country, which will host Expo 2030, is emerging as a strategic market in the hospitality and catering sector. Because of this, and because of its economic growth and demand for innovative technologies, SIGEP World offers host companies and their exhibiting brands a unique opportunity to build partnerships with key players in the Saudi market. A delegation of top Saudi buyers, including big names such as Barn’s, a coffee shop chain with more than 800 outlets, Elite Hospitality/Al-Nahla Group, among the leading hospitality companies, and Al Tazaj, a quick service restaurant chain with more than 120 venues, enriches the event, opening up new perspectives for the global foodservice industry.
photo: sigep press office
(ITALPRESS).
