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MILAN, Italy – The 2025 edition of Host, organized by Fiera Milano from Friday, October 17 to Tuesday, October 21, is ready to showcase an ever-evolving concept of hospitality, where technology, education, and creativity are redefining the experience. From sustainable kitchens to digital solutions, from new multisensory experiences to the evolution of raw materials and new out-of-home concepts, Host 2025 makes innovation the key to interpreting the needs of a rapidly changing market.
“With 2,041 exhibitors from 56 countries, Host is much more than an exhibition: it is a platform that anticipates trends and drives innovation across every stage of the supply chain,” comments Francesca Cavallo, Head of Hospitality Exhibitions at Fiera Milano.
“Our approach starts from technology and extends to formats, layouts, design, and consumer experiences — this year with a particular focus on innovation, sustainability, and training. By listening closely to markets and consumers, and transforming sector evolutions into real growth opportunities for companies and professionals, Host demonstrates how the hybridization of adjacent worlds generates value for all players in the supply chain.”
Data confirms it: Host industries drive the economy
This capacity to generate value is reflected in the global production and export figures of the sectors represented at Host, as well as in Italian exports, confirming the central role of its supply chains in the global hospitality landscape.
Between 2021 and 2024, production data show a generally positive trend, with a return to growth after the 2023 slowdown and a structural consolidation: in 2024, total value reached €166.2 billion (+9.81% over the period), driven by professional catering, worth nearly €78 billion and remaining largely stable over the four years, and by the gelato sector, which recorded the sharpest growth — an impressive +50%, rising from €19.43 billion in 2021 to €29.14 billion in 2024.
Innovation has also boosted growth in the coffee machine sector (€10.36 billion, +3.9%), bakery machinery (€4.36 billion, +4.2%), and vending (€1.63 billion, stable).
Global export trends are equally consistent, with total exports in 2024 amounting to €123.6 billion, up 11.1% from 2021. In absolute terms, professional catering once again leads global exports with €58.9 billion (a slight +0.2% increase over the period), while gelato machinery confirmed exceptional export performance, with a +59.4% boom, rising from €12.6 billion in 2021 to €20.1 billion last year — proof of a strongly expanding international demand. Growth also continued for bakery machinery (€3.11 billion, +4.7%) and tableware and furnishings (€33.67 billion, +2.4%), while the vending sector remained essentially stable at €1.19 billion.
These global results are reflected in the most recent Italian data, confirming the competitiveness and attractiveness of Made in Italy. In the first half of 2025, Italian exports from Host-related sectors reached €4.3 billion (+1.9%), with refrigeration and gelato leading jointly with €1.2 billion in value (+11%), followed by professional catering with €1.02 billion (+2.3%), and bakery and pastry machinery, which grew +3.9% to €467 million.
Host 2025: the global platform for hospitality
From catering to interior design, from coffee to bakery and pastry, each edition brings together all supply chains in Milan, combining a comprehensive overview of trends, solutions, and formats with in-depth vertical focus areas comparable to specialized trade shows.
With over 2,000 exhibitors, 44% international from 56 countries, Host 2025 confirms itself as the world’s reference platform for hospitality, out-of-home, and food retail. The most represented countries include Germany, Spain, France, the USA, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, underscoring the event’s increasingly international profile.
Exhibitors will meet over 700 highly qualified hosted buyers from around 75 countries, thanks also to the support of ITA – Italian Trade Agency. The main target sectors include: distributors, resellers, exporters/importers; catering, foodservice, and out-of-home; retail and large-scale distribution; accommodation facilities; shopping centers and venues; chefs, professionals, and consultants. The main geographical areas of origin are the Americas (35%), the Middle East and Africa (28%), Asia and Oceania (14%), and Europe and CIS countries (24%).
To make this targeted encounter between supply and demand even more effective, Host 2025 has redesigned its exhibition layout. In particular, the SIC – International Coffee Exhibition will be hosted in Halls 8–12 and 16–20, strategically located at the center of the fairground. The two-level structure will allow shorter and more intuitive visitor routes, while the bridge connection between Halls 12 and 16, located on the second floor, will ensure a constant flow of visitors to the upper level. An extension to Hall 18 (facing Hall 20) will also enhance cross-sector interaction with the Gelato-Pastry area.
MIPPP – Milano Pane Pizza Pasta: celebrating Italy’s artisanal excellence
One of the major highlights of Host 2025 will be the renewed MIPPP – Milano Pane Pizza Pasta, a meeting point between the art of baking, the culture of pizza, and the evolution of fresh pasta. This year, MIPPP also features a partnership with the SIPAN Consortium, which brings to the already rich lineup of exhibitors the top Italian technology players associated with the consortium and will help attract new professional audiences, starting with sector artisans. The project showcases the value of Italian supply chains and their connection with the world of international hospitality through a language made of technique, creativity, and research.
MIPPP will operate in synergy with the Food Service Equipment sector, a long-standing cornerstone of the exhibition, which once again confirms itself as the engine of the most advanced technological innovation — highlighting artificial intelligence, automation, next-generation digitalization, and all solutions that make professional kitchens increasingly intuitive, personalized, flexible, and sustainable.
From cooking to washing, from refrigeration to accessories, this area will be a must-visit for business owners, operators, and technology buyers from major foodservice and hospitality chains, as well as for chefs, masters, and industry professionals.
A five-day experience of education, competition, and creativity
Host Milano will feature five days of events including training sessions, show-cooking, and international competitions, forming part of a wider calendar of over 800 events that make Host 2025 a unique observatory on global hospitality trends for the near future.
Functionality, design, and vision with Smart Label and Design Talks
Now in its eighth edition, the prestigious Smart Label – Host Innovation Award, promoted by Host Milano and Fiera Milano in collaboration with POLI.design and under the patronage of ADI – Association for Industrial Design, remains the benchmark recognition for innovation in the hospitality world, with over 1,000 total submissions over the years. The award-winning products of this edition will be showcased at Host 2025, highlighting solutions that redefine the sector’s future — from sustainability and smart materials to digital innovation and integrated design. This exploration of design culture will be complemented by the Design Talks, also organized in collaboration with POLI.design and under the patronage of NEWH – The Hospitality Industry Network.
The 44th edition of Host Milano will take place at Fiera Milano, Rho district, from Friday, October 17 to Tuesday, October 21, 2025.
For the latest updates: host.fieramilano.it, @HostMilano.
